WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the General Services Administration (GSA) was awarded over $250 million through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to upgrade and increase capacity at the International Falls and Grand Portage land ports of entry on the Canadian border. These improvements will strengthen supply chains, improve safety and security, and create jobs.
“Border ports of entry play a critical role in the success of Minnesota’s economy by facilitating trade and tourism” said Klobuchar. “This much-needed investment will help boost our supply chain by expanding processing capacity for goods at the International Falls and Grand Portage stations. I’ll keep fighting to strengthen our supply chain by investing in our infrastructure and making it easier for our exporters to get their goods to market.”
“As the primary points of entry for goods crossing the Canadian border, the International Falls and Grand Portage land ports of entry are vital cogs in Minnesota’s economy,” said Smith. “These investments will create local jobs, increase safety and security, and boost capacity at these overstrained ports.”
The International Falls land port of entry is the highest traffic volume port in Minnesota, facilitating over $12 billion worth of trade in 2021. The 27-year-old facility at International Falls currently processes more traffic than it was designed to accommodate. The project will expand the capacity of the port to process trade and travelers, while enhancing security and safety. In Grand Portage, the funding will provide for the modernization of the nearly 60-year-old border station, increasing the number of traffic lanes and improving security and screening.
Klobuchar has been a leader in efforts to boost supply chains and support American exports. She recently introduced the bipartisan Ocean Shipping Reform Act with Senator John Thune (R-SD), which Smith co-sponsored. This legislation would update federal regulations for the global shipping industry in order to help American producers export their products to the international market.
Klobuchar also leads the bipartisan Promoting Rural Exports Act with Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) to establish a Rural Export Center in the U.S. Commercial Service (USCS) to help rural businesses access international markets and increase exports.
Since coming to the Senate, Smith has worked to open new international markets for Minnesota farm products and strengthen our ports. During her first year in the Senate, she co-sponsored bipartisan legislation that would help American farmers branch out into international markets. In 2019, Smith led a group of bipartisan senators pressing the Trump administration to expand U.S. grain exports to Canada.
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