Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding for Infrastructure Improvements Along I-94
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $13,736,000 in federal funding for the I-94 Blowing and Drifting Snow Control Project in West Central Minnesota. The project will install 24 miles of snow fence across 38 sites to address snow control along nearly 120 miles of I-94 between the cities of Moorhead and Alexandria. The project will reduce snow traps along the economically vital I-94 corridor, enhancing safety, minimizing winter maintenance, and boosting the reliability of the heavily traveled highway. “I-94 is one of the most heavily used highways in our state but its driving conditions can be impacted during winter storms,” said Klobuchar. “With this federal grant, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will install snow fences to reduce snow traps along the highway and ensure I-94 remains safe for drivers.” “In Minnesota, we have to keep moving even when there’s snow, and this stretch of I-94 is notoriously unsafe in snowy conditions,” said Smith. “This grant from the Federal Highway Administration will help keep Minnesotans safe on I-94 in snowy conditions.” The funding was secured through the USDOT Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant program. PROTECT provides funding to ensure surface transportation resilience to natural hazards including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk coastal infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides funding for PROTECT.
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding for Infrastructure Improvements to Highway 11 Along the Rainy River
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $2,560,000 in federal funding for the City of Loman’s Highway 11 Rainy River Slide Realignment and Resiliency Project. The project addresses two critical slope failures that threaten to close portions of Highway 11 along the Rainy River. The project will realign 1.2 miles of the highway about 150 feet to the west, removing the roadway from the slide areas and completing work to stabilize the slopes. “Highway 11 is a vital part of Northern Minnesota’s transportation system,” said Klobuchar. “With this grant, the City of Loman will make critical infrastructure improvements to make Highway 11 resilient and improve driving conditions.” “Minnesotans deserve to drive on safe, reliable roads,” said Smith. “Highway 11 along the Rainy River in Northern Minnesota is a danger to drivers, and this project will realign the highway on safer, more stable ground to protect and improve drivers’ safety.” The funding was secured through the USDOT Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Grant program. PROTECT provides funding to ensure surface transportation resilience to natural hazards including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk coastal infrastructure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides funding for PROTECT. ###
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads Fight to Provide Mental Health Care for American Indian & Alaska Native Youth During Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/27/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) recently led her Senate colleagues in demanding accessible, comprehensive, and culturally competent mental health care and related services for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth during the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter to federal education and health officials, Sen. Smith and her colleagues said that AI/AN youth already faced mental and behavioral health challenges before the pandemic, and may have an especially hard time accessing care during COVID-19. Because many AI/AN students who seek mental health care do so at school, the administration must work to find solutions to reach AI/AN students while schools are closed. The digital divide in Indian Country will prevent some AI/AN students from
Klobuchar, Smith Join Menendez, Cardin and Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Address COVID-19 Racial Disparities
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) in introducing the COVID-19 Health Disparities Action Act to address the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on communities of color. The bill would require targeted testing, contract tracing, public awareness campaigns and outreach efforts specifically directed at racial and ethnic minority communities and other populations that are vulnerable to COVID-19. “The coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately impacted communities of color, yet this Administration has failed to provide complete, consistent, and transparent statistics on coronavirus tests, cases, hospitalizations, complications, and deaths by race
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Pens CNN Op-Ed: “What McConnell is Getting Very Wrong on the Stimulus Bill”
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/28/20]—Today U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) penned an op-ed condemning Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s failure to lead the Senate to pass a coronavirus relief bill—despite the fact the House acted on their latest COVID relief bill 10 weeks ago. In her piece, published by CNN, Sen. Smith cites the chaos that she’s witnessing—including McConnell filling the Senate calendar with votes on judges rather than legislation related to the pandemic—and outlines what we need to do in this moment. “Part of the Senate majority leader’s job is to set the Senate calendar. The House passed its latest Covid-19 relief bill a full 10 weeks
Klobuchar, Smith, Colleagues Introduce John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and over 40 colleagues to introduce the bipartisan John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which as a reintroduction of the Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore the landmark Voting Rights Act and help preserve the legacy of John Lewis – one of America’s civil rights heroes. “I was always in awe of Congressman John Lewis — of his persistence, his resilience, his faith that this country could be better, if only we put in the work. He never gave up on justice. He never stopped marching toward freedom,” Klobuchar said. “We
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