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A northern Minnesota miner, a mother fighting the opioid epidemic and state officeholders are among the guests of Minnesota's congressional delegation Tuesday to watch President Trump's first State of the Union address. 

Here's a look at who's inviting and who's being invited.


The offices of GOP Reps. Erik Paulsen and Jason Lewis did not return messages requesting information on their guests. 

Beginning at 8 p.m. Central time

Massachusetts Rep. Joe Kennedy III to offer rebuttal

State of the economy is strong

DFL U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison: Angelica Bello

The Minneapolis congressman will be attending with a "Dreamer" who goes to Southwest High School. 

traveled to Washington, D.C., and also helped organized a protest

 in support of legislation shielding young immigrants from deportation. 

 that provides a path to citizenship for hundreds of thousands of the so-called "Dreamer" immigrants, who were brought to the U.S. as children and are now in the country illegally.

Forsman is a miner from northern Minnesota. 


It's a controversial issue — mining supporters say the jobs are needed. Critics worry mining could harm the Boundary Waters in the long run. 

Ely residents sharply divided over mining near BWCA

DFL U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar: Shelly Elkington

Elkington is an advocate for victims of overprescribing and drug abuse. Her daughter, Casey Jo Schulte, died in 2015 after battling an addiction to prescription pain medication. 

Klobuchar has led efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. At least 376 people 

died of opioid overdose deaths in Minnesota

life expectancy in the U.S. fell for the second year in a row in 2016,

 nudged down again by a surge in fatal opioid overdoses, federal officials said. 

"The opioid epidemic is taking lives like (Casey Jo Schulte's) in Minnesota and across the country at an alarming rate. That's why the work Shelly is doing sharing her daughter's story is so important in drawing much-needed attention to the opioid epidemic and putting a human face on the toll it's taking on communities across the country," Klobuchar 

DFL U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum: Minnesota DFL Sen. Richard Cohen

Cohen is a longtime state DFL state senator

"Federal, state and local officials all have a role to play in standing up to the damaging Republican agenda," McCollum 

 "I am pleased to be joined for the State of the Union by Senator Cohen, a distinguished legislator and a champion for the arts, our environment, and human rights." 

Cohen was elected to the Senate in 1986; he was previously elected to the House in 1976. He was appointed by President Barack OBama to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, where he served from 2009 to 2017. He 

 with the rest of the board following President Trump's 

 about a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., that left an anti-racism activist dead.  

DFL U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan: North Branch Mayor Kirsten Kennedy

Nolan, who serves Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, is bringing North Branch Mayor Kirsten Kennedy.

 Nolan described her as "an outstanding Minnesota leader who has demonstrated her commitment to her local community through years of public service." 

DFL U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson: Shared his ticket

The congressman's office says he shared his ticket with his colleague, Texas Democratic U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, who needed an extra. Vela is bringing Jimmy Garza, an agriculture producer from South Texas. 

sworn in as Minnesota's newest senator earlier this month,

Suss is a retired school superintendent and former state representative from southwestern Minnesota. He is also a Minnesota Farmers Union County president and chair of Greater Minnesota Parks and Trails.

Politics and Government News

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Nancy Yang

Author

A northern Minnesota miner, a mother fighting the opioid epidemic and state officeholders are among the guests of Minnesota's congressional delegation Tuesday to watch President Trump's first State of the Union address.

Be our guest: Minnesotans at the State of the Union

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