Rep. Omar shares August Capitol update

While the Republicans have been actively avoiding releasing the Epstein files, they remain hellbent on forcing through reckless policies that do nothing to support working Americans. This month, Republicans brought an $830+ billion military spending bill to the House Floor to fund Donald Trump’s police state and continue to inflate our already-bloated defense spending budget. This adds onto the $150 billion defense budget Republicans passed through with their Big, Ugly Bill – the same bill that Republicans used to force historic cuts to both Medicaid and SNAP. All year, Republicans have been ​​arguing that we don’t have enough money to ensure affordable food and health care for the American people, while at the same time, they have been writing blank checks for endless wars. I voted NO on this misaligned military spending bill, and I’ll keep fighting to reorient our budget to put our communities first.

During this last month, Republicans also put three corrupt bills on the House Floor to gut guardrails on cryptocurrency. These crypto bills aim to protect the profits of crypto insiders and billionaires, allowing Donald Trump and his wealthy backers to write the rules they want for their own gain. These bills will weaken basic enforcement against fraud and scams, erode consumer and investor protections, and put our financial system at risk. Crypto shouldn’t be a reckless playground for billionaires and politicians to enrich themselves at the expense of everyone else. We need strong, clear rules to protect the wallets, savings, and futures of Minnesotans. For these reasons, I voted NO on Republicans’ three crypto bills.

In line with fighting for our communities, I was proud to reintroduce my End Polluter Welfare Act with Senator Bernie Sanders. Right now, Big Oil companies, like ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron, and Shell, benefit from federal subsidies, tax preferences and loopholes, and royalties for the fossil fuel industry. Our bill would eliminate polluter welfare, including Trump’s enormous new handouts included in the Big, Ugly Bill, and prevent the Trump Administration from handing out hundreds of millions of acres of public lands and waters for drilling. We’re done letting fossil fuel executives write the rules while our communities pay the price.

Cogovernance is the center of our work in the People’s House. In line with this promise, I’ve hosted monthly town halls since I was elected to connect with the community and hear firsthand the issues that matter most to you. This month, I was joined by Mayor Mary Supple for my town hall in Richfield. Here's what I heard: Minnesotans want Democrats to fight like hell, do everything we can to stand up against Trump, and put forward a vision for what we are fighting for. You have my word: I will continue to fight Trump's illegal actions every step of the way and be a part of building a future that we deserve.

Regardless of the chaos, I am focused on ensuring our communities receive the support they need to thrive. During the August work period, I’ve been spending time with our senior residents, visiting sites our office secured federal funding for, such as the North Commons Park and Wadaag Commons affordable housing, and ensuring our immigrant communities have the support they need to protect themselves from the Trump Administration’s indiscriminate attacks. I’m looking forward to an August filled with community-oriented work based right here in Minnesota’s Fifth District.

To wrap this month’s column up, I want to share a big win from my District Office. I’m proud to announce that my casework team has helped over 500 constituents navigate issues with federal agencies in 2025, returning over $3,774,000 back to folks across our district! If you need help troubleshooting your Social Security benefits, getting your tax refund, need an update on your immigration case, or more, please reach out to my district office. You can call us at 612-333-1272 or email us at mn05.info@mail.house.gov. We’re here to help!

Until next month!