Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Join Colleagues in Pushing a Framework for U.S. Recognition of a Nonmilitarized Palestinian State
[WASHINGTON] – In light of the ongoing negotiations around a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith joined a letter with 17 of their Senate colleagues to the Biden Administration, urging the President to establish a public framework for the U.S. to recognize a nonmilitarized Palestinian state. As a strong diplomatic leader in the region for decades, the U.S. must continue this role and take concrete action toward a two-state solution, in line with established U.S. foreign policy. “Given the severity of the current crisis, this moment requires determined U.S. leadership that must move beyond facilitation. As such, we request the Biden Administration promptly establish a bold, public framework outlining the steps necessary for the U.S. to recognize a nonmilitarized Palestinian state, which includes the West Bank and Gaza, to be governed by a revitalized and reformed Palestinian Authority,” the Senators write. They continue: “The diplomatic steps that you and your Administration have taken have been of utmost importance, and we urge you to do even more. We believe it is critical at this moment for the United States to signal our willingness to lead a regional peace initiative that would eventually result in U.S. recognition of a nonmilitarized Palestinian state, as well as Israel’s full integration into the region. The road to enduring peace in the region depends entirely on the two-state solution—the establishment of a Palestinian state, existing in concert with a regionally-integrated Israel. Despite decades of U.S. support for this policy, there has been limited success
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Funding to Study Restructuring Highway 55
[Washington, DC] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced federal funding to support studying and developing a plan to revitalize Highway 55 in Hennepin County. The funding is made available thanks to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which both Senators supported. “I grew up right off Highway 55 and I know how it serves as a critical link for families and businesses,” said Klobuchar. “With this federal grant, Hennepin County will kickstart the planning phase for improvements to the highway.” “If we’re going to build an economy that works for everyone, then we need to prioritize investments in critical infrastructure, like highways, that connect people with opportunities all across the state,” said Smith. “This grant is the first step to improving highway 55 to best serve the surrounding communities in the West Metro.” The $3.6 million in funding comes from the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program, which aims to connect communities by supporting neighborhood equity, safety and affordable transportation access while mitigating negative environmental impacts. ###
U.S. Senators Smith, Wicker Propose Bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Fix for Rural Hospitals
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7/23/20] – This week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced a bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fix for rural hospitals. The PPP Access for Rural Hospitals Act would waive the Small Business Administration (SBA) affiliation rules for non-profit critical access hospitals and hospitals that serve rural areas so that they may qualify for PPP loans. Granting smaller non-profit and rural hospitals access to the PPP program would allow facilities to retain critical staff and focus their resources on providing quality care to patients for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. “Rural hospitals aren’t just vital to public health; they’re economic engines for
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Help Loggers, Timber Haulers Weather COVID-19 Economic Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7/23/20] – This week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced bipartisan legislation to provide relief to logging and log hauling businesses that have been seriously impacted by COVID-19 and the resulting economic crisis. The lawmakers’ bipartisan bill would establish a new program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide direct payments to timber harvesting and hauling businesses that can demonstrate they have experienced significant economic hardship compared to the previous year. The logging industry has experienced a steep decline in demand for wood fiber since the coronavirus pandemic began, leading to an estimated 20 percent
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar’s Measure to Install Fire Sprinkler Systems in Public Housing One Step Closer to Becoming Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7/15/2020]—This week, legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to encourage public housing authorities to install sprinkler systems in older apartment buildings cleared the House Appropriations Committee as part of a larger House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding package. The Public Housing Fire Safety Act would create an annual $25 million competitive grant program to provide funds to public housing authorities who wish to retrofit older high-rise apartment buildings with sprinkler systems. It would also collect data on the status of sprinkler installations in public housing high-rises around the country. “The fire at Cedar High Apartments was a tragic
Murray, Smith Urge Labor Department to Withdraw Proposal That Would Discourage Financial Advisors From Supporting Racial Justice
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), and 11 of their Democratic Senate colleagues submitted a comment letter in response the Department of Labor’s proposed rule that would discourage financial advisors from considering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. In their comment letter urging the Department to withdraw its proposed rule, the Senators emphasize how ESG investing can be important in considering practices that can impact a company’s performance like diversity and how it can serve as a tool for long-term change in the fight against
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