Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Mental Health Services in Detroit Lakes
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured $75,000 in funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget to support mental health services in Detroit Lakes. The funding will provide A Place to Belong with resources for outreach and recruitment of persons with mental illness. A Place to Belong is a social club for adults who are diagnosed with a serious mental illness. “We need to make mental health care more accessible, especially in rural communities,” said Klobuchar. “With this funding, A Place to Belong will have additional resources to ensure local residents who are experiencing a mental illness can get the care they need.” “A Place to Belong helps create a community for people tackling serious mental illness, things like peer support and shared meals,” said Smith. “Everyone should feel like they have a place to belong, and I’m proud to have brought necessary resources to support that work.” Klobuchar and Smith have been actively involved in securing this federal funding for projects benefiting communities across the state through a process called “Congressionally Directed Spending” (CDS). During the CDS process, Klobuchar and Smith have considered project proposals and advocated for funding in close coordination with leaders from across the state. Projects are expected to receive funding over the next several months. ###
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Infrastructure Project in Harris
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured $1,574,000 in funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget for a project to extend municipal sewer and water services in Harris. Klobuchar and Smith requested the funding along with U.S. Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN). “The City of Harris has been attracting new businesses, but the water and sewer service lines need to be expanded to accommodate the growing demand,” said Klobuchar. “With the federal funding we secured, Harris will be able to upgrade this important infrastructure.” “Minnesotans deserve to have safe, clean water,” said Smith. “The City of Harris is no exception, and this investment will update the city’s water and wastewater infrastructure system, directly impacting all of its residents.” Klobuchar and Smith have been actively involved in securing this federal funding for projects benefiting communities across the state through a process called “Congressionally Directed Spending” (CDS). During the CDS process, Klobuchar and Smith have considered project proposals and advocated for funding in close coordination with leaders from across the state. Projects are expected to receive funding over the next several months. ###
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith & Rep. Angie Craig Introduce Legislation to Help High School Students in Minnesota Who Lost Jobs Due to COVID-19
WASHINGTON, D.C. [08/7/20]—This week U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (MN-2) were joined by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Reps. Dean Phillips (MN-3), Ilhan Omar (MN-5) and Betty McCollum (MN-4) as they introduced bicameral legislation to help high school students in Minnesota who have lost jobs due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The lawmakers said that many high school students have jobs to cover basic expenses for themselves and their families like food, utilities and rent. Students also work to save money for future costs such as college. But the pandemic and its related economic downfall have put many high school students out of work, leaving
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Demands Postmaster General Explain Delays, Intent Of Sudden USPS Changes, and Mail Disruptions in Minneapolis
WASHINGTON, D.C. [08/8/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) today demanded that U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy explain the recent and sudden structural changes at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) that threaten reliable mail service for millions of people in Minnesota and across the country, and provide answers about the recent, week-long halt in mail service to Minneapolis public housing residents. In a letter to Dejoy Saturday, Sen. Smith said the changes, delays and disruptions at USPS hold significant implications for millions of American households – especially veterans, older citizens and rural residents who depend on the mail for life-saving medicines, census
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Nearly $26 Million Grant for University of Minnesota, Academic Collaborators to Create Engineering Research Center
WASHINGTON, D.C. [8/7/2020]—This week, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded the University of Minnesota Institute for Engineering in Medicine and three academic collaborators $25,999,491 to create an Engineering Research Center (ERC). The goal of the ERC, called the Advanced Technologies for Preservation of Biological Systems (ATP-Bio), is to develop and deploy technology to “stop biological time” through temperature control. This will improve transplantation and other biological therapies by preserving organs, tissues and cells. It will also help drive down the cost of drug discovery and much more. In addition, the center will provide educational
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Bill Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve National COVID-19 Testing and Tracing
WASHINGTON, D.C. [08/7/20]—U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) introduced bipartisan legislation this week to improve coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and tracing in Minnesota and across the country. Representatives Angie Craig (MN-2) and Phil Roe (TN-01) introduced the bipartisan house companion today. The Suppress COVID-19 Act would support states’ work to address the virus by helping them purchase tests and testing supplies. It would also allow states to work together in interstate compacts and regional agreements to overcome challenges with the testing supply chain, such as a lack of available tests and slow turn-around for test results. Sen. Smith says that this bipartisan strategy will help states not only contain the
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