Finstad in the Field: weekly update

DHS Shutdown Update

With the spring break travel season well underway, millions of Americans are feeling the effects of Washington’s dysfunction. Travelers are experiencing wait times of more than three hours at some airports due to shortages of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers who have been working without pay for nearly a month because Senate Democrats, including Senators Klobuchar and Smith, continue to oppose the House-passed appropriations package for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 

 

This reckless DHS shutdown is not only causing headaches for millions of travelers, it’s putting our national security at risk by disrupting Coast Guard, FEMA, and CISA operations, and needlessly forcing the men and women who protect our homeland to go without paychecks. I will continue to urge my colleagues across the aisle to put an end to the partisan games and urgently restore funding for DHS.

 

Calling on Gov. Walz to Clean Up Minnesota Medicaid Fraud 

In recent weeks, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the withholding of $259 million quarterly Medicaid funds to Minnesota due to Gov. Walz’s inability to enact commonsense safeguards in the state’s administration of CMS programs.   

A federal audit found $234.8 million in unsupported or possibly fraudulent Medicaid claims and $15.4 million involving individuals without satisfactory immigration status, leading CMS to temporarily suspend federal funds and reject the state’s corrective action plan as insufficient. 

 

Minnesota has become a case study in fraud and abuse of Medicaid dollars. Recently, I led my colleagues in calling on Gov. Walz to comply with federal law regarding the ongoing fraud, waste, and abuse within Minnesota’s Medicaid program and work with CMS to restore our state’s federal Medicaid funding for the people of our state who depend on these crucial services.

 

Honoring Justin Reinarts

In November, Justin Reinarts and Tabitha Trescott were senselessly murdered in an apparent domestic violence incident in Hanska. Justin took great pride in being a first responder, serving 17 years with the Hanska Fire Department. It was an honor to join his fellow firefighters to remember Justin and present the department with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in his memory.

 

Special thanks also to Morgan and Cris for joining us and sharing the great work that Minnesota United Against Domestic Violence is doing to give a voice to the victims in our southern Minnesota communities who were taken from us too soon.

 

Congressional Art Competition

I'm excited to announce that my office is now accepting entries for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition! Every year, I look forward to hosting this annual contest and showcasing the creativity of southern Minnesota’s most talented student artists. It’s always exciting to see the entries that beautifully tell the stories of our district. Last year, I was proud to welcome our first place artist, Ava Siok, to D.C. to see her winning piece, “Sparkling Sunset” hung in the halls of the U.S. Capitol, representing Minnesota’s First District.

 

The contest is open to 9th-12th grade students in Minnesota's First District. This year’s optional theme is “America the Beautiful: 250 Years of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Submissions must be mailed or hand-delivered to the Rochester or New Ulm office by 5 p.m. CT on Friday, April 24th. Official rules, guidelines, and student forms can be found online at finstad.house.gov/art-competition.