Rep. Michelle Fischbach, a Republican from Minnesota's seventh congressional district, recently sent an update related to trade opportunities and law enforcement.
Fischbach and various law enforcement offices discussed the factors that have led to staff shortages in the seventh district. One reason is due to what she considers a radical “defund the police” movement, which is leading to early retirements and a generation that feels unsupported in their pursuit of a career in law enforcement.
An opportunity has come for congress to make a move to support the younger generation looking to school as their next step towards a career, according to Fischbach.
Fischbach has reintroduced the Law Enforcement Education Grant Program Act. The approach is aimed at offering grants to students pursuing their first degree in law enforcement or other criminal justice-related fields.
The grants would be unlike typical student loan forgiveness programs in that they would come with a service agreement. The recipient of the grant would agree to serve as a full-time law enforcement officer for four years.
The grant would be converted into a student loan should the student not complete the service agreement.
“I am proud to introduce this legislation to encourage young people to join the next generation of law enforcement and will continue to prioritize our police officers and the safety of our communities,” Fischbach said in an email.
In the same update, trade opportunities in western Minnesota were talked about. The United States Trade Representative recently requested and was granted a dispute settlement panel. The panel was to address restrictive measures between the Canadian and American dairy industry.
The structure of the Canadian dairy industry has been historically restrictive. A goal of the United States - Mexico - Canada Agreement, also known as USMCA was to bring equal trading between the three countries.
The dispute was in regards to Canada’s tariff-rate quota allocation measures. Also known as TRQ’s, the measures allow for lower tariff rates on imports within a specified quantity.
Fischbach was apologetic in saying that the panel concluded that Canada’s TRQ measures do not breach the USCMA.
“This decision stifles trade opportunities, but I will continue to work to increase trade opportunities and increase market access for our dairy farmers in Canada and across the world,” Fishbach said.
Hopeful news came when Fischbach met with Thailand's Ambassador to the United States, Tanee Sangrat. The two discussed ways to strengthen the trade relationship between the United States and Thailand.
News included the potential to open export market access for U.S. pork and poultry producers in Thailand. More updates will come as they are released.
