As our state continues to mourn the loss of the three Burnsville first responders killed in the line of duty, it is more important than ever to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of our state’s law enforcement and emergency personnel.

Over the weekend, we had the chance to sit down with Elk River Police Chief Ron Nierenhausen and former law enforcement officer and State Representative Paul Novotny. Chief Nierenhausen recently celebrated 35 years of service in law enforcement. In recognition of this achievement, we were proud to present Ron with an American flag that was flown over the United States Capitol in his honor. During our meeting, Rep. Novotny also presented Chief Nierenhausen with a Minnesota State flag that was flown over our state capitol.

Last week, we also had to meet with members of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association (MPPOA) during their trip to Washington. During the meeting, we discussed some of our shared legislative priorities including the Back the Blue Act, which establishes new criminal offenses for attacking law enforcement officers.

The brave men and women of the MPPOA work hard every day to keep Minnesota communities safe. Before the end of their trip, we had the opportunity to give a few of their members a tour of the United States Capitol. If you are planning a trip to Washington D.C. and would like to visit our Capitol, our office is here to help! More information can be found on our website at emmer.house.gov.

We owe our law enforcement officers an enormous debt of gratitude, and we were proud to honor them in Washington and at home in Minnesota.

2024 Congressional Art Competition

We have begun accepting applications for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition.

The Congressional Art Competition gives the Sixth District’s young artists an opportunity to showcase their impressive work. We look forward to the competition every year and are excited to put our local students’ talent on display in the Capitol.

The Congressional Art Competition is an annual competition for high school students across the United States. The winner from each district wins the chance to travel to Washington D.C. to visit with their Representative and see their artwork displayed in the Halls of Congress.

Sixth District students from grade 9-12 are encouraged to participate and should deliver all submissions to Emmer’s district office in Otsego by Friday, April 19 at 5:00PM. More information on the competition is available at emmer.house.gov/art-competition.