Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Announce Infrastructure Grants for Indian Country in Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced two grants for Tribal communities in Minnesota to make several sections of highway safer and more accessible for travelers. “Rebuilding our infrastructure is critical for families, workers, and businesses everywhere–including in Tribal communities like Lower Sioux Indian Community and Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “These infrastructure projects will create good jobs, support new businesses, and make traveling safer for drivers and pedestrians.” “If we’re going to build an economy that works for everyone, then we need to prioritize investments in vital infrastructure, like highways, that connect people with opportunities all across the state,” said Sen. Smith. “This federal grant will help improve safety on County State Aid Highway 2 and Minnesota State Highway 1, so that members of Lower Sioux and Red Lake Nation can get where they need to go safely. It’s great to see this significant federal investment and I’m going to keep fighting to bring federal dollars back to Minnesota.” Two Tribal Communities received grants: The grants were distributed as part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program within the Department of Transportation. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar and Smith supported, delivered a 50 percent increase in the amount of available funding for RAISE, which provides grants for surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant local or regional impact. ###
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Announce Grants to Improve Rail Safety in Metro Area
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced grants to three cities in the Twin Cities Metro Area to make upgrades to rail-pathways that focus on improving the safety and mobility of travelers and goods. “Blocked rail crossings not only inconvenience drivers, but also delay emergency vehicles and threaten public safety,” said Klobuchar.“This federal investment will reduce traffic, boost efficiency and improve rail crossing safety. Investments in our infrastructure serve as a down payment on the long-term economic well-being of our state.” “Revitalizing our infrastructure is about more than just fixing railways or roads; it’s about improving people’s lives, which is precisely what this project will do,” said Senator Smith. “These rail-pathways help connect families and businesses across the metro area and are critical for shipping and commerce in Minnesota. Investing in projects like these not only makes our roads and railways safer but helps support local economies across the state.” Three cities received grants: This investment is made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which both Klobuchar and Smith supported and worked to pass. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law authorized the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rail Crossing Elimination Grant Program (RCE), which provides funding for highway-rail and pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects that improve the safety and mobility of people and goods. Klobuchar and Smith have both cosponsored the bipartisan Railway Safety Act. This legislation will make key updates to improve rail safety protocols, including increasing inspections on trains that carry hazardous materials, requiring rail carriers to have emergency
Sen. Smith, Rep. DeSaulnier Introduce Legislation to Limit Benefit Denials in Pension and Health Care Plans
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-11) introduced legislation to protect workers’ and retirees’ rights to retirement and health benefits under employer-sponsored plans. “I believe that access to a court is a fundamental right. But too often, workers and retirees are being wrongly denied the benefits they’ve earned or forced to jump through hoops to access benefits they were promised,” said Senator Smith. “It’s outrageous that employers are able to deny – often unilaterally – workers the right to appeal a claim denial in court, or impose huge burdens that make it nearly impossible to win a
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Announces Largest Ever Investment in Key Native Housing Program
WASHINGTON [5.12.22] — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) – chair of the Senate’s Housing Subcommittee – announced Minnesota Tribes will receive the largest ever housing investment as part of a key federal program dedicated to improving housing on Native land. The $23 million in funding for Minnesota Tribes represents a more than $4 million increase from last year, which Sen. Smith had pushed for. “If you don’t have a safe, stable, affordable place to live, nothing else in your life works,” said Sen. Smith. “I’ve had the great privilege of visiting and meeting with Tribal leaders from Minnesota and heard firsthand how the affordable housing crisis impacts their
Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith and Rep. Angie Craig Announce Appointees to the Minnesota Farm Service Agency State Committee
WASHINGTON [5.11.22] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (all D-MN) announced appointees who will serve on the Minnesota USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) state committee. Each FSA state committee is comprised of three to five members, including a designated chairperson. The individuals appointed to serve on this committee for Minnesota are: Committee Chair Eunice Biel – Harmony Hannah Bernhardt – Finlayson Kurt Blomgren – Butterfield Lisa Brunner – Mahnomen Tim Velde – Granite Falls “The FSA State Committee plays a critical role in making sure farmers and ranchers across the state can access and benefit
In Senate Floor Speech, U.S. Senator Tina Smith Calls on Colleagues to Codify Roe v. Wade Into Law
WASHINGTON [5.10.22] — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) delivered a speech from the Senate floor urging her colleagues to support the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would preserve the basic protections of Roe v. Wade in law. You can access video of Sen. Smith’s remarks here and the full remarks are included below. “Justice Alito, Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans, and radical Republican state legislators across the country believe that they should have the power – that they know better than American women, whose lives and stories they will never know,” said Sen. Smith in her remarks from the Senate floor. “To that I say: How dare
English