Rep. Omar on Minnesota shootings, Iran and So Called 'Big, Beautiful Bill'
Hello Neighbor,
With a heavy heart, I want to start by acknowledging the horrific violence we’ve seen in the past few weeks both here at home in Minnesota and globally. Firstly, I want to express my outrage and grief at the loss of my dear friend, Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark, both of whom were assassinated in a heartless act of political violence. Melissa was a force to be reckoned with, tirelessly leading with passion, integrity, and a deep love for her community.
I’m also holding Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in my thoughts and prayers as they recover from this horrific attack. I am closely monitoring their condition and surrounding them with love and strength in this difficult time. This violence is a heartbreaking reminder that, no matter our differences, no one deserves harm. This kind of cruelty has no place in our politics, in our homes, or in our communities. As we grieve this loss, may we carry forward Melissa’s spirit of choosing compassion and working every day to build safer, more caring communities for everyone.
Next, I want to take a moment to address the escalation of violence in the Middle East and the unconstitutional military strikes Donald Trump ordered and executed in Iran. In mid-June, Israel began bombing Iran, heightening tensions amid ongoing conflict in the region. Less than a week later, Donald Trump bypassed Congress and launched strikes on Iran’s military facilities. This action marked a dangerous and reckless escalation of violence in the Middle East. Trump ran for president on the promise that he would end wars, not start new ones. Now he has directly involved the United States in another Middle Eastern conflict without congressional approval. He’s overstepped the privileges of the Presidential office, dragging the country into a war that Americans want no part in.
Military strikes will not bring peace. They will only provoke more violence, destabilize the region, and endanger U.S. troops and civilians. We’ve seen what happens when diplomacy is sidelined in favor of bombs. It only brings more death and destruction. This is exactly why I cosponsored the War Powers Resolution, introduced by Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), which would require the president to obtain Congressional consent prior to committing U.S. Armed Forces to carry out hostilities abroad.
Twenty years ago, we were rushed into a war in Iraq based on manipulated intelligence, media frenzy, and a political climate where asking questions was painted as unpatriotic. Now, we’re seeing those same warning signs and we should be alarmed. The only way for the United States to go to war is with Congressional approval, where we’re given the opportunity to debate and vote on it. For now, I know that folks in our district, and across the country, don’t want another war and I’m doing everything in my power to fight back against our further involvement in this conflict.
And lastly, I want to end by recapping my June tele-town hall with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison last month. AG Ellison and I were joined by nearly 13,000 Minnesotans where we shared updates on our work and answered questions. Last month, your top concerns were about the work we’re doing to fight back against Republicans’ cuts to critical social programs, like Medicaid, in their disaster budget bill. As a member of the House Budget Committee, I can assure you Democrats have done everything in our power to interfere procedurally and to showcase the devastating impact this bill would have. Democrats on all the relevant committees in the House submitted hundreds of amendments to try to strip the most harmful provisions from the bill and to shine a light on what Republicans are really trying to accomplish, and Senate Democrats have done the same in their chamber. Republicans have shut down all attempts from our side of the aisle to hold them accountable. They know that their budget bill is wrong. This “Big, Beautiful Bill” is a shameful betrayal of the American people that would push as many as 17 million Americans off their healthcare to pay for $1 trillion in tax cuts for corporations and billionaires.
As I voted against this harmful, immoral budget bill, I was thinking about those in my district who rely on Medicaid to afford the life-saving health care they need, the ones who depend on SNAP to put food on the table for their families, and the thousands of students who will see their student aid cut down. I’ll keep fighting for the policies that put working Americans first and help make life easier for the folks in Minnesota’s Fifth District.
Until next month.