Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Supports Proposed Sustainable Aviation Fuel Facility Near Moorhead, MN
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Tina Smith wrote a letter to Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm pushing for the construction of a proposed $5 billion sustainable aviation fuel production facility in Moorhead, Minnesota, by DG Fuels. The new facility would create 650 jobs and contribute more than $205 million per year to the growing economy of the Moorhead area. It would produce nearly 200 million gallons of near-zero carbon aviation fuel annually, and production at the facility would begin in 2030. “The clean energy transition is here, and I want Minnesota to lead it,” said Senator Smith. “The construction of this sustainable aviation fuel facility will not only boost Moorhead’s regional economy and create jobs, but it will establish Minnesota as a global hub for clean, sustainable, homegrown energy.” Senator Smith has long been a vocal proponent of Sustainable Aviation Fuel production in Minnesota. In July, Senator Smith joined colleagues in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging the U.S. Treasury Department to finalize the rules to implement the Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, which would help boost production of clean fuels. Senator Smith is a leader on clean energy in the Senate, securing funding for a multitude of clean energy initiatives across the state, continuing to push for national energy security, U.S. leadership in technological and economic development, and lowering energy costs for Minnesotans. Minnesota has also recently created a state tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel production and blending as well as the Minnesota SAF Hub, created by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Economic Development Partnership. The SAF Hub is focused on establishing the world’s first industrial-scale sustainable aviation fuel economy in Minnesota. You can read Senator Smith’s letter here. ###
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, Representative Pete Stauber Announce Grant to Provide High-Speed Internet in Pine County
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) and Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN08) announced a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide high-speed, reliable internet to 38 businesses and 147 farms in Pine County. Over 1,000 people in socially vulnerable communities will have direct access to the internet with modern fiber optics running right to their front door. “We should be able to bring high-speed internet to every family in Minnesota— regardless of their zip code,” said Klobuchar. “This funding builds on broadband upgrades going on across our state including Pine County. As co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus, I’ll keep working across the aisle to make sure all Minnesotans can reliably access the high-speed internet they need.” “Internet access is not just a luxury in the 21st century, it’s a necessity,” saidSenator Smith. “In Minnesota and across the country, people in rural areas, small towns, and Tribal communities need access to reliable, high-speed internet. Investing in broadband infrastructure with the ReConnect Grant Program will help connect communities in every part of the country to high-speed internet and strengthen communities from the ground up.” Too many rural communities across Minnesota still do not have access to high-speed internet and have been left behind in today’s technology-driven economy. As the Representative of a largely rural area, I am proud to help deliver federal funding to ensure the residents, businesses, and farmers of Pine County have the broadband infrastructure necessary to compete and thrive, ” said Representative Stauber. The investment comes from USDA
U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Mike Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Spur Economic Development in Underserved Communities
WASHINGTON, [1.4.22] – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) and Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) introduced legislation to jumpstart economic development in economically distressed areas and address disparities in access to capital for underserved communities. The bill would strengthen and expand Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI), which play a critical role in bringing capital and financial services to a wide range of underserved communities – from urban areas to small towns and rural communities to Tribal lands. “Unequal access to capital and financial services is a key driver of economic disparity in rural areas, communities of color, and Indigenous communities,” said
U.S. Senator Tina Smith and U.S. Representative Angie Craig Announce Plan to Strengthen Meat and Poultry Supply Chain
WASHINGTON, D.C. [1.4.22] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith and Representative Angie Craig (both D-Minn.) announced new plans to create a more competitive, fair, and resilient meat and poultry sector. These initiatives will help secure better earnings for producers while ensuring more choices and affordable prices for consumers. The funding for this plan is available through the American Rescue Plan, which Senator Smith and Rep. Craig helped pass earlier this year. “Just a handful of large companies have come to dominate the meat and poultry processing industry, which means higher prices for consumers and shrinking earnings for producers,” said Sen.
U.S. Senators Smith and Cassidy’s Bipartisan Amendment to Address Global COVID-19 Vaccine Access Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/03/22]— U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.)’s bipartisan amendment to improve global vaccine access was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act last week. The bipartisan amendment will analyze the United States government’s capabilities to retrieve soon to expire COVID-19 vaccine doses and send them to countries abroad. These efforts will help to address supply chain barriers to efficient global vaccine distribution and provide another opportunity for the United States to be a leader in building global capacity to distribute COVID-19 vaccines. The amendment is also co-sponsored in the Senate
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Minnesota as Recipient of Nation’s First FEMA Resiliency Program Grant
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded the Minnesota Department of Public Safety the nation’s first Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program grant. This $171,000 award will update hazard mitigation plans for Jackson, Kittson, Marshall, Pope, and Red Lake Counties. “We can’t control natural disasters, but we can ensure our state has the resources to prepare for and mitigate damages,” Klobuchar said. “This federal funding will help Minnesotans plan ahead for extreme weather to protect their communities. I’m glad FEMA’s
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