A big thank you to everybody that came out to my Congress on Your Corner event in Eden Prairie and participated in my telephone town hall this week. Hearing your thoughts helps me better represent you in Congress, and I'm always happy to answer any questions you may have.

A worrisome issue in the news lately is the spread of the Zika virus in Central and South America. The Zika virus poses significant risk to women that are pregnant and causes significant birth defects in newborns. With 300 cases already confirmed in the United States, the House took action this week. I voted for, and the House passed, legislation that will allow potential new treatments to stop the spread of Zika to receive expedited review by the Food and Drug Administration. Without this designation, new treatments could languish for months with no decision.

At a Ways and Means Committee hearing on health care this week, I spoke about the need to expand the use of Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts to give patients more choices and flexibility. Video is available here.

Finally, there's nothing quite like playoff hockey and it's great to see the Wild are still alive and in the running for the Stanley Cup. Have a great week and be sure to let me know whenever I can be of assistance to you or your family. Join the conversation online by visiting my website, Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, and please watch my latest Erik's Correspondence Corner video.

Tax Day and Accountability at the IRS

Tax Day falls on April 18th this year, and I continue to hear from people frustrated by the complexity and confusion in our tax code. The average American will spend over 8 hours preparing their tax return and 9 out of 10 will have to hire an accountant or purchase software to file. This is not a tax code designed with the hardworking taxpayer in mind, and is the reason I have backed tax reform efforts to make our code fairer, simpler, and flatter.

At the same time, taxpayers are working with an IRS that is often unresponsive. Reports show that customer service is at an all-time low at the agency with the average telephone assistance wait times consisting of more than 30 minutes because the agency has shifted funding to other areas. This week my committee passed common sense legislation that would improve customer service and bring more accountability to the IRS, including prohibiting the IRS from rehiring employees who were fired for misconduct, and making sure Congress has the authority to determine how the IRS spends user fees.

A report by the Inspector General found that the IRS rehired 141 individuals who were terminated for previous transgressions, including being willfully delinquent on their taxes!

Supporting Manufacturing Jobs and Small Businesses

Minnesota's manufacturers support countless good-paying jobs and put billions of dollars into the economy. However, many manufacturers have been forced to pay high tariffs on their "inputs" to make their products because the law reducing these tariffs expired in 2012.

This week, I spoke at a Ways and Means Committee hearing about a bipartisan fix that will update the law to lower the cost of imported inputs so our manufacturers can strengthen their competitive edge, support domestic manufacturing jobs, increase U.S. production, and grow our economy. I talk about how this will help Minnesota companies like Knitcraft, a sweater manufacturer, and you can watch the video here.

Helping Seniors

Our seniors have spent their lives working hard, raising their families, and giving back to their communities. I'm excited The Older Americans Act passed Congress with overwhelming support and will be signed into law by the President. It will help seniors, especially those with the greatest social and economic needs by providing funding for successful programs like Meals on Wheels. It also saves the taxpayers money by preventing costly hospital readmissions and helping seniors stay in their homes and communities.

Erik visits with constituents at his Congress on Your Corner at the Eden Prairie Cub Foods.

Congressman Paulsen chats with Minnesota's Dan Ochsner on his radio show.

Erik at the Chaska Legion for the Boy Scouts Spaghetti Dinner.

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