Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on USPS Inspector General’s Troubling Report on St. Paul and South Metro Mail Service
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement in response to the USPS Inspector General’s report that found glaring issues at the St. Paul Processing and Distribution Center and post offices in Eagan, New Brighton and Apple Valley: “The Postal Service Inspector General’s audit reports on St. Paul and south Metro mail service are alarming and confirm what we’ve been hearing from constituents. Delayed mail and failures to report it, package delivery issues, and systemic understaffing are just the beginning. Minnesotans have been raising the alarm that mail service isn’t as reliable as it needs to be, but the Postal Service continues to act like everything is working as it should. This report confirms the reports of hundreds of Minnesotans that there are deep and systemic issues in the state. In December, I asked the Inspector General to expand the scope of their investigations in Minnesota so we can get to the bottom of these issues, and I am grateful that they will do so in the coming months,” said Senator Smith. Senator Smith has frequently raised the alarm on persistent mail delays and reports of hazardous work conditions for mail carriers, pressing Postmaster Louis DeJoy for answers on how USPS plans to remedy these issues. Most recently, Senator Smith called on the Inspector General to conduct a full audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota District, which the Inspector General’s office announced they will soon begin. The full results of the Inspector General’s audit can be
Klobuchar, Smith Announce New Federal Funding to Increase Access to Biofuels
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced significant federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to install E15 dispensers at fueling stations located in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota to increase the availability of domestic biofuels and give drivers cleaner, more affordable fuel options. Gas stations and distribution facilities in Alexandria, Annandale, Belgrade, Crookston, Hoffman, Moorhead, Paynesville, and Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, will receive funding. The Department is making the awards through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), which was made possible with funding from Klobuchar and Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-IA) Biofuel Infrastructure and Agricultural Product Market Expansion Act, which was included as part of a larger legislative package in 2022. “Domestically produced biofuel strengthens our energy independence, supports farmers, and cuts costs for families,” said Klobuchar. “My bill with Senator Ernst, the Biofuel Infrastructure and Agricultural Product Market Expansion Act, unlocked this funding to help bring affordable biofuels to more local gas stations and help drivers save money.” “Biofuels offer us a clean, renewable, and homegrown pathway to transition away from fossil fuels,” said Smith. “Minnesota is already a leader in biofuels production, and this investment from the Inflation Reduction Act will further spur an industry that America relies on for energy independence, drivers rely on for lower gas prices, and farmers rely on for new streams of income. We’re reducing harmful emissions while creating more economic opportunity in rural areas.”These grants will reduce out-of-pocket costs for transportation fueling and distribution facilities to install and upgrade biofuel-related infrastructure
Klobuchar, Smith Announce over $47.5 Million for Housing in Minnesota in Response to Coronavirus
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded Minnesota $47,520,331 in grants to meet the housing needs of Minnesotans impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. These funds, which Congress made available through the CARES Act, will help low-income families and Minnesota’s most vulnerable citizens, including the homeless. These relief funds will be awarded by using existing grant formulas so grantees can quickly help their communities. “As Minnesotans continue to deal with the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, it is more important than ever to ensure that all residents
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Drug Shortages Becomes Law Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/08/20]— U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Health Committee—says that measures from her bipartisan bill to prevent drug shortages were enacted into law as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The measures from Sen. Smith’s Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act, which she introduced with Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine, will improve reporting requirements of potential drug shortages and help increase the supplies of vital drugs needed to treat or prevent a wide variety of diseases, illnesses, and conditions. “As we find ourselves amid the coronavirus pandemic, it’s critical that health care workers
Klobuchar, Smith, Schneider, Colleagues Urge Administration to Increase Number of Doctors in Rural and Other Medically Underserved Areas
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) along with colleagues in both the House and the Senate, wrote to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) urging the Administration to resume premium processing for physicians seeking employment-based visas. Doctors on these visas increase access to health care, especially rural areas, through the Conrad 30 program, which allows foreign medical school graduates who have been trained in the United States to stay in the country as long as they serve underserved areas. On March 20, USCIS announced its suspension of premium processing due to the coronavirus (COVID-19)
At the Urging of U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Congress Approves $20 Million to Provide Nutrition Services to Native Elders During COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/08/20]— U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee—says that Congress heeded her call to ensure Native elders continue to have nutrition assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) includes $20 million in emergency funding for Native elder nutrition programs. Sen. Smith fought for emergency funding so that Tribal organizations can continue to provide these essential services, which may include meal assembly and delivery, nutrition counseling, nutrition education, farmers market operations, supporting food banks, charitable organizations/food distribution centers, and more. Sen. Smith said that Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior
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