Erik Paulsen: Let's Mint a Commemorative Coin to Help Fund National Parks

In his regular Correspondence Corner video, U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) responds to a question from Ellen in Coon Rapids about preserving national parks, and reads a comment from Robin in Bloomington about FAA furloughs.

See the video at right or at YouTube.com.

In an email message to constituents, Paulsen touted his bill to help national parks:

This past week was National Park Week ... In just a few years, our national parks will celebrate their 100th birthday.  As part of this centennial celebration, I'm authoring legislation, H.R. 627, to allow the U.S. Mint to issue a National Park commemorative coin for collectors, with all of the proceeds going to help the National Park Foundation and support our national parks. The bill has no cost to taxpayers, has strong bipartisan support, and is one more way to provide additional resources to help our national parks.

Paulsen spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives about National Autism Month:

"In Minnesota, one in every 67 children is diagnosed with autism. Minnesota is also home to some great institutions like the Holland Center and the Minnesota Autism Center, which serve Minnesota families with educational and habilitation and rehabilitation services for children with autism. Minnesota is also on the front-lines of research trying to determine the scope and cause of the alarming rate of autism among Minnesota's Somali population."

See a video of his speech in the second YouTube thumbnail above or at YouTube.com.

Paulsen's local stops in the past week (see Storify above or at Storify.com) included:

• The Innovation Lab at Boston Scientific in Maple Grove, where he held a town hall meeting
• Osseo Senior High School's nursing assistant program and auto certification program

U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen represents Minnesota's Third Congressional District, which includes all or parts of Maple Grove, Edina, Eden Prairie, Plymouth, and Minnetonka and other Lake Minnetonka cities, among others. This is a weekly roundup of news from the Third Congressional District.