Tom Emmer: “We come together to honor a friend and colleague who we lost earlier this year, and to welcome a new Member into the…”

“We come together to honor a friend and colleague who we lost earlier this year, and to welcome a new Member into the House of Representatives, our friend, Mr. Brad Finstad. Six months have passed since we lost our friend Jim Hagedorn to cancer, and his absence continues to be felt in this Chamber and throughout southern Minnesota. Our thoughts remain with his family, as we all know how significant a loss it has been for them and for all of us. Earlier this week, however, the residents of Minnesota's First Congressional District elected Brad Finstad to carry out Congressman Hagedorn's legacy of relentless representation in the House of Representatives. They could not have made a better choice. As a fourth generation Minnesotan, Brad truly represents the best values of our State. Honesty, integrity, and the willingness to answer the call to serve. Born and raised on his family farm in New Ulm, Minnesota, Brad grew up understanding the importance of a hard day's work, a trade he still appreciates and carries with him every single day. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, his work on the family farm led Brad to join the Minnesota Farm Bureau and eventually to serve three terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In 2017, Brad was appointed by President Trump as the Director of Rural Development of USDA in the State of Minnesota. While there, he worked to improve the lives of farmers throughout our home State.…”