Third District, Kelly Morrison: I’ve worked across the aisle to get things done

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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The opinion editors have invited candidates in Minnesota’s key congressional races to submit commentaries making their case to voters. We continue with the Third District, an open seat, with this article by Kelly Morrison, a Democrat, and another by Tad Jude, a Republican.

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I’ve spent most of my career as a doctor — not a politician. I’m an OB-GYN who has been practicing in Minnesota for more than 20 years, and I’ve dedicated my life to helping people.

If elected to represent the Third District, I would be the only pro-choice OB-GYN in Congress. At a time when reproductive rights are under attack across our country, Washington needs voices who will make sure that women — not politicians — can make their own health care decisions.

But that’s not the only reason I’m running for Congress.

I first ran for office in 2018 because I was concerned about the future of our state and I knew we needed voices of reason in our government who were focused on delivering results. As a Democrat who grew up in a Republican family, I know that good ideas can come from both sides of the aisle.

So during my time in the Minnesota Legislature, I worked with both Republicans and Democrats to pass more than 90 bills, many with bipartisan support. I passed legislation to extend health insurance for new moms and their babies from just 60 days to 12 months, and increased mental health access for Minnesotans by allowing psychologists to practice across state lines — and I worked across the aisle to get it done.

Now I want to take this common-sense, results-oriented approach to Washington. First, I’m focused on lowering costs for Minnesota families. We need to take on the high cost of housing and increase the supply of housing at all income levels, and make child care more affordable for families.

And as a doctor, I know what it’s like to see my patients struggle to afford the medication they need, so when I got to the Minnesota Legislature, I took on Big Pharma and passed legislation to help lower prescription drug costs in our state. But we need to do more, especially on the federal level. That means extending the $35 cap on insulin and the $2,000 annual cap on prescription drugs that was put in place for seniors to all Americans, and it means allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices for more prescription drugs.

I believe everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities. We need to make sure our law enforcement officers have the resources they need to do their jobs well — that’s why I supported legislation providing $300 million in aid to local law enforcement, including police, fire and 911 departments, and I co-authored legislation to crack down on violent carjackings. We also need to take on gun violence, which is now the No. 1 killer of children in America. I helped pass universal background checks and extreme-risk protection orders in Minnesota, and now we need to take this issue on in Washington.

As the wife of an Army combat veteran, I know how important it is to ensure that our veterans have the resources and support they need. I was proud to pass legislation that provides 9/11 veterans and their families with service bonuses, and I will continue to advocate on behalf of veterans in Congress.

And as a mom of three, I’m focused on keeping our kids safe and building a better future for them. That means tackling the opioid crisis, taking on the social media companies that are hurting our children, fighting climate change, and protecting our lakes and rivers for generations to come.

Finally, I want to go to Congress to be a bridge-builder. If you look at what’s happening in Congress right now, it’s a broken institution. We have to send people to Washington who believe in the promise of America and who want to make government work. That is my mission, and I invite everyone — Democrats, Republicans and independents alike — to join me on this journey.

Dr. Kelly Morrison, of Wayzata, is the Democratic candidate for the open seat in Minnesota’s Third Congressional District. See kellyforcongress.org.