On Monday, I held a telephone townhall meeting to hear directly from you, and I appreciated discussing a wide variety of issues and concerns. Over 6,000 of you joined the conversation, and of course I received quite a bit of feedback on the rollout of the President's new health care law.  In particular, there is frustration and anger from people who have had their health insurance cancelled or seen a double digit rise in their health insurance costs -- 140,000 Minnesotans have received cancellation notices despite the President's promise that you can keep your healthcare plan if you like it.

If you like your healthcare plan, you ought to be able to keep it. And no one should be forced to buy health insurance that isn’t right for them or their family’s needs.  I will continue to work with all those who are willing to sit down at the table to have a responsible solution to our healthcare challenges.

I also asked the participants on the town meeting call their views, and here are the results from the question "Should you be able to keep your healthcare insurance plan if you want to?" 81% said yes, 12% no, and 7% were undecided.

As always, please feel free to contact me if I can assist you or your family in any way. Also, please join the conversation online by visiting my website, Facebook page, Twitter, and don't forget to watch my weekly video, Erik's Correspondence Corner.

Our Daughters Are Not for Sale

This week, I joined Google and the Human Rights Project for Girls to bring attention to the bipartisan “Our Daughters Are Not for Sale” Resolution and the fight against domestic sex trafficking. I'm leading an effort for action on this issue, because every month in Minnesota hundreds of teenage girls are being lured into human trafficking and prostitution.

We owe it to these young women to treat them as victims, not as criminals, and to ensure that traffickers and buyers are prosecuted. By acting early we can protect vulnerable youth so they can live safe, happy, and successful lives.

In July, I introduced the "Child Sex Trafficking Data and Response Act" to improve data systems that track missing children as well as provide proper designation to ensure victims receive the care and help they need. I testified on my legislation recently and some of our Minnesota news organizations have highlighted the issue. Listen to the MPR story or read the Star Tribune article here.

We must do what we can to combat this tragic trend in our own backyard.

Promoting American Energy Security

This week, the House passed a series of bills with bipartisan support to help make America energy independent. We addressed energy production from finding the resources, capturing the energy, and finally transporting it. The first bill protects and expands onshore energy production by streamlining government red tape and regulations. The second ensures the EPA won't impose duplicative federal regulations on hydraulic fracturing. And the third modernizes the pipeline review process by establishing timelines for the review of natural gas pipeline applications. All of these bills passed with bipartisan support, help reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and make the U.S. more energy independent.

Paulsen Pics

Rep. Paulsen joins Google and the Human Rights Project for Girls in bringing attention to the fight against domestic sex trafficking.

Rep. Paulsen speaks with WWII Navy Pilot Cliff Roberts during the Veterans Day celebration at Minnetonka High School.

Paulsen receives the National Parks Conservation Association's “Friends of the National Parks” Award recently for his work to protect and enhance America's national park system for present and future generations.