Michelle Fischbach
Candidater for U..S. Congress District 7
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Summarize why you are running for office. What are your priorities?
I have always worked to make sure we have strong rural communities, where our children and grandchildren can live and thrive. I have heard repeatedly from constituents about the horrible fraud in Minnesota. I am working to stop it, prosecute the responsible parties, and prevent the theft of taxpayer dollars. I am also working to get the Farm Bill and year-round E-15 over the finish line. We have passed many helpful policies for farmers, including crop insurance reforms, but the Farm Bill and E-15 are important to finish. Finally, I want to continue working on trade and bio-based manufacturing to make sure we have strong domestic and international markets.
What can be done about rising costs to live for Minnesotans and U.S. citizens?
We need to put more money back in the pockets of hardworking Americans by cutting taxes, eliminating wasteful bureaucracy, and reducing unnecessary regulations. My position on the Ways and Means Committee gave me a strong influence in the Working Families Tax Cuts to provide relief for families, farmers, seniors, and small businesses through expanding Section 199A deductions, eliminating tax on overtime and tips, permanently doubling the death tax exemption, creating a historic tax deduction for seniors, and increasing the standard deduction and child tax credit. We also need to eliminate all federal program fraud to protect Minnesotans' taxpayer dollars and hold those responsible accountable. These programs are intended to help vulnerable families, and every dollar that was stolen is a dollar that should have been helping Minnesotans.
What are your thoughts on the current U.S. immigration policy?
First, we need to distinguish between legal immigration and illegal entry into our country. I support visa reform, especially H-2A visa program improvements, because they are critical to building a more sustainable workforce. The agriculture industry needs a flexible visa program that addresses both seasonal and year-round workforces.
What can be done to support agriculture?
I led efforts to advance the Farm Bill and permanent, year-round E-15 legislation in the House, but both need to get through the Senate and be signed into law. We need to strengthen farm safety nets and crop insurance, address rising input costs like fertilizer, and provide greater regulatory certainty so producers can plan for the future. We must also strengthen the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement to ensure our farmers can remain competitive and our trade partners are not taking advantage of US growers. And as I mentioned in the previous question, we need to reform the H-2A agricultural worker program to give producers access to a dependable workforce.