Every year, we work with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute to help release the County Health Rankings. The Rankings provide a snapshot of health factors in every US county to reveal how health is influenced by where we live, learn, work and play.

Since the beginning, we’ve been sharing the Rankings with Members of Congress and their staffs. The data, resources, and stories give them important tools to use when making decisions that will affect people’s health in their states and across the country.

Over the years, as the Rankings have received more attention, conversations on the Hill have gone from “What exactly are the Rankings?” to “How can we use them?”

One of the best ways is lifting up communities that are setting a strong example for others to follow—so we were thrilled when Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN) spoke on the House Floor to celebrate Carver County, located in his district, for being named the healthiest county in Minnesota for the fourth consecutive year.

Here’s his personal congratulations.

Check out your county’s ranking on the Rankings website, learn more about our policymaker outreach work here.