Friends and neighbors, 

On Tuesday, Jan. 3, I took the oath of office and officially began my fourth term in the Minnesota State Senate. It is a true privilege to be back in St. Paul and represent the great folks of Senate District 29.

This session is a budget year, and the Minnesota Legislature will determine how to fund our state for the next two years. As we craft our budget, I resolutely believe a priority must be to give back the $16.7 billion surplus to hardworking Minnesotans. The historic surplus proves that our state asks far too much from taxpayers. Minnesotans face an unreliable financial future due to ongoing inflation and a looming recession. And that is why it is so essential to provide real and enduring tax relief, including the full elimination of the tax on Social Security income.

During the 2023-2024 legislative session, I will serve as the Republican lead of the Senate’s State and Local Government and Veterans Committee and as a member of the Elections Committee and Claims Subcommittee.

I am honored to serve as my caucus’ lead on the State and Local Government and Veterans Committee. However, it is very troubling that there is not a stand-alone committee dedicated to our Minnesota Veterans. And when Senate Republicans brought this issue to the floor on the second day of session, Senate Democrats voted against having a Veterans Committee. 

As a former chair of the Senate Veterans Committee, I know firsthand how many significant advancements we have made in the past six years to address the needs of our Minnesota Veterans. This includes critical investments in Veteran job opportunities, affordable housing, mental health assistance, and so much more. But now, Democrats have alarmingly chosen to silence the voices of the men and women who have given so much to our state and Nation. 

Instead of including the Senate’s veterans and military affairs issues in a single bill package, Senate Democrats are choosing to group important veterans’ topics in an omnibus bill with state and local government issues. As a result, controversial topics unrelated to our veterans will likely be packaged together and force senators to vote against this bill. This could easily expand government intrusion into our daily lives and make it more difficult to support our military members and veterans.

Though I am greatly displeased to see our Veterans no longer have a dedicated Veterans Committee, my dedication to our Minnesota Veterans remains the same. And I will continue to serve as the strong voice in the Senate who will stand up for the needs of our Veterans and their families.

With the 2023 legislative session underway, I want to hear from you, my constituents, on issues that are important to you. Please feel free to reach out to my office with any concerns or ideas you may have. As session moves forward, I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind as legislation comes before me. You can contact my office at sen.bruce.anderson@senate.mn or 651-296-5981.

Sincerely,

Bruce Anderson