Daily Digest: Is there a doctor in the senate?

Good morning, and welcome to a cold Thursday. I guess it's true what they say: 105 is the new 50. Let's get on with the Digest.

1. It’s been a quarter century since the Minnesota Senate last had a doctor among its members. This week, two were sworn in, one Democrat and one  Republican. Their real-world experience could come in handy with health care shaping up as a dominant issue before the Legislature. (MPR News)

2. Gov. Mark Dayton proposed a $1.5 billion package of public works constructions projects Wednesday, calling the proposal a "catch-up" because of the bonding bill's failure in the closing moments of the 2016 session. Dayton said it's important to pass the bill quickly to get the projects moving before interest rates rise and in time for construction season. The Republican House and Senate are likely to consider a smaller bill with a different mix of projects. (MPR News)

3. Dayton told the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce annual dinner Wednesday night that Minnesota should devote more resources to health and human services and other needs. “While Congress is pondering, the Minnesota Legislature must be active,” Dayton said. He said the state should act now under existing federal laws and not wait for changes that might take a while under the Trump administration. (Star Tribune)

4. Republicans in Congress Wednesday began moving toward a repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Vice President-elect Mike Pence met with lawmakers and said repealing the health care law would be "the first order of business" for the new administration. Meanwhile, President Obama met with Democrats and urged them not to back down in defending it. He also told them he should have done a better job selling the law that came to be associated with his name. (New York Times)

5. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday escalated his public challenge to the U.S. intelligence agencies he will soon oversee, appearing to embrace WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's contention that Russia did not provide his group with hacked Democratic emails.  Trump's views put him at odds with President Obama and some top Republicans who see Moscow as a growing threat. And they put him in line with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Assange, whose organization has been under criminal investigation for its role in classified information leaks. (AP via MPR News)

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