Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Clean Energy Manufacturing Investment in Fridley
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-Minn.) announced Cummins, Inc. received a tax credit allocation of $10,500,000 for investment in electrolyzer manufacturing and testing in Fridley, Minn., for its Accelera by Cummins zero-emissions business. This investment is expected to support more than 260 direct jobs and nearly 2,000 indirect jobs. Electrolyzers separate water into oxygen and hydrogen, and when done using renewable energy, create carbon-free hydrogen that can be stored and used as a clean energy source. The funding comes from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which both Klobuchar and Smith supported. “Minnesota has long been a hub for innovation and advanced manufacturing,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This investment in Cummins’s Fridley plant will create good paying jobs and ensure this critical technology continues to be made in America.” “I always say that when it comes to transitioning to a clean energy economy, we can lead or follow—and I think we should lead,” said Senator Smith. “Through this investment in Fridley, the Biden Administration is creating thousands of good-paying jobs for Minnesotans and ensuring American manufacturing is a leader in the clean energy future. We’re investing in American workers while fighting climate change.” “We are grateful to the Biden Administration and Senators Klobuchar and Smith for their investment in and support for accelerating the U.S. hydrogen economy,” said Alex Savelli, Managing Director of Electrolyzers for Accelera by Cummins. “Government partnership is critical to spur the growing hydrogen industry. This credit allows us to continue building manufacturing capability in Fridley, create desirable green tech and manufacturing jobs, and
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues to Reintroduce Bill to Help Educate Americans about the Effects of Climate Change
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues in introducing legislation that would support a variety of programs nationwide to help Americans better understand what climate change will mean for our everyday lives—things like including information about climate change in school science curricula and public education campaigns. The bill, called the Climate Change Education Act, would establish a Climate Change Education Program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide grants and technical assistance to state and local education agencies, institutions of higher learning, professional associations and academic societies, and youth corps organizations. “Climate change is happening, and we cannot ignore it,” said Senator Smith. “We need to be doing everything we can to combat climate change, and that includes comprehensive education about its impacts. Investing in our future and working against climate change will improve our health, create better jobs, and ensure that people are prepared to succeed in a rapidly changing world.” The Climate Change Education Act would support climate literacy by authorizing $50 million per year between fiscal years 2025 and 2030 for grants and cooperative agreements between NOAA and education entities. In line with the Biden administration’s Justice40 Initiative, the bill stipulates that 40 percent of the funds for higher education institutions and youth corps organizations would be directed to environmental justice communities. The bill was led by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and cosponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Bob
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar & Tina Smith Tell Postmaster General That Postal Service Changes Hit Deployed U.S. Servicemembers Hard
WASHINGTON, D.C. [08/24/20]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined 28 of their Senate colleagues in raising concerns to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy about the harmful impact that recent operational changes he has made to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) are having on American servicemembers and their families – especially those serving overseas. In a letter to DeJoy, Sens. Klobuchar, Smith, and their colleagues said that because USPS is the only service that can deliver to the Army Post Office (APO) and Fleet Post Office (FPO) addresses used by our military overseas, deployed servicemembers and their families are uniquely impacted by recent USPS changes. Active duty servicemembers who
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, U.S. Representative Angie Craig Demand Explanation from USDA on Diverting Funds from Program to Help Farmers who are People of Color, Immigrants, Veterans
MINNESOTA [08/21/20]—After learning that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is diverting funds from a program that supports producers from diverse backgrounds—including farmers who are people of color, immigrants and veterans—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (MN-2) are demanding an explanation and answers. In a bicameral letter to the USDA, the lawmakers said that the decision to divert funds from the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program was made without a thorough process for input and consultation from lawmakers, stakeholders and the communities of color and veterans that they serve. “During this difficult time, farmers across the
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Tom Udall, U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján Demand Explanation from USDA on Diverting Funds from Program to Help Farmers who are People of Color, Immigrants, Veterans
MINNESOTA [08/21/20]—After learning that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is diverting funds from a program that supports producers from diverse backgrounds—including farmers who are people of color, immigrants and veterans—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) are demanding an explanation and answers. In a bicameral letter to the USDA—which was joined by nearly 40 colleagues—the lawmakers said that the decision to divert funds from the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program was made without a thorough process for input and consultation from lawmakers, stakeholders and the communities of color and veterans that they
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, John Hoeven Lead Bipartisan Effort to Improve Financial Stability of Electric Coops, Small Rural Broadband Providers in Next COVID Relief Package
MINNESOTA [08/20/20]— U.S. Sens. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) are pushing Senate leaders to add their bipartisan plan to help stabilize the finances of the nation’s rural electric cooperatives and rural broadband providers in the next coronavirus relief package. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the Senators pressed their Flexible Financing for Rural America Act, which would make it possible for rural electric cooperatives and telecommunications providers to refinance their Rural Utilities Service (RUS) debt at lower interest rates. By taking advantage of current lower interest rates, these rural cooperatives and businesses would be able to better
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