Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Clean Energy Projects for Minnesota Farms and Small Businesses
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced grants for 70 farms and small businesses across rural and Greater Minnesota to install clean energy technology on their farms. This round of funding for Minnesota totals nearly $8 million. This initiative is possible through the Renewable Energy for America (REAP) program, which Senator Smith championed and strengthened in the Inflation Reduction Act. “The clean energy transition is happening, and I want us to lead it,” said Senator Smith. “As we make the switch to cleaner, cheaper energy, we need to make sure everyone benefits. That’s why programs like REAP, which helps rural communities install renewable energy systems, are so important. These investments will save farms and small businesses all across the state thousands of dollars a year in energy costs while helping reduce harmful emissions.” Projects included can be found in the table below. The funding is specifically set aside for agricultural producers and rural small businesses to install renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agriculture currently accounts for roughly one-quarter of Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions. Senator Smith continues to prioritize improvements to REAP, promote underutilized technologies, and help more farmers access the program. Senator Smith introduced the bipartisan, bicameral REAP Modernization Act which would increase the cost share for REAP grants, raise certain grant limits, and improve the accessibility of the program to farmers and small businesses. Toplines Total Investment: $7,875,510 Total in Energy Savings (kWh/Year): 5,975,000 Total in Energy Savings ($/Year): $692,900 Farm/
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Funding to Increase Minnesota’s STEM Talent Pipeline, Foster Diversity in STEM Fields
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced two grants for Minnesota middle schools, high schools, colleges, and universities to strengthen Minnesota’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent pipeline. One award sponsors the North Star STEM Alliance, a program that supports public, private, and Tribal colleges and universities in their efforts to significantly increase the numbers of students enrolling into and successfully completing high quality degree programs in STEM disciplines in order to diversify the STEM workforce. The other award supports the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus to partner with Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) and Hamline University, among others, to expand professional development opportunities for 18 science teachers working in diverse schools. “To continue our global leadership in science and technology research and development, American students must receive the best training and education,” said Klobuchar. “With these federal grants, our schools can better prepare students for the careers of tomorrow.” “Every student deserves every opportunity to succeed and build a bright future for themselves, and that all starts with a good education,” said Senator Smith. “This funding will help all students, from middle school through undergrad, no matter their background, to develop the skills they need to enter into a STEM field.” The North Star STEM Alliance aims to increase the number of students who graduate with B.S. degrees in STEM who participate in the STEM workforce. Over a five-year period, North Star Alliance will use $2,500,000 to increase STEM Bachelor of Science degrees from 700 in 2022, to 1,000 annually by 2028. To
U.S. Senators Klobuchar & Smith Announce Additional Aid to Help Minnesota Producers Recover from Extreme Weather
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/02/20]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced additional U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding to help Minnesota producers recover from 2018 and 2019 losses related to excessive rain. The USDA is also finalizing agreements with sugar beet cooperatives to distribute $285 million to grower members for 2018 and 2019 crop losses. Funding is made available through the USDA’s Wildfires and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). The Senators said that producers should go to their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) starting March 23 to apply for WHIP+ assistance. Sugar beet growers should go directly to their cooperative. “This announcement from the
More Than a Dozen National Health Care Organizations Urge Senate Health Committee to Pass Sens. Smith and Collins’ Bipartisan Drug Shortages Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/02/20]—Over a dozen organizations representing physicians and hospitals are calling on leaders of the Senate Health Committee to pass the Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act, a bipartisan bill authored by U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). China accounts for 13 percent of the facilities making active pharmaceutical ingredients to supply the U.S. market, which could be disrupted by manufacturing delays caused by the Coronavirus. On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the first drug shortage caused by the Coronavirus, but it was able to identify an alternative. Sens. Smith and Collins introduced their partisan MEDS Act last fall to enhance reporting requirements of
Members of Minnesota Congressional Delegation: FEMA Agrees to Review Procedures that led to 2019 Spring Storm Damage Underestimation
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), and Representatives Jim Hagedorn (R-MN-1), Angie Craig (D-MN-2), Dean Phillips (D-MN-3), Tom Emmer (R-MN-6), and Collin Peterson (D-MN-7) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has committed to a review of the information sharing practices that led to the 2019 spring storm damage underestimation. FEMA also committed to allow as much additional time as needed during future assessments to gather damage information that will improve the cost estimation process so that “sticker shock” can be avoided. These commitments from FEMAcome in response to a letter the delegation sent earlier this month calling
U.S. Senators Smith & Baldwin Urge President to Properly Fund Coronavirus Response Without Taking Away From Vital Energy Assistance Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/28/20]—U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) are calling on President Trump to support funding to address the spread of the Coronavirus without taking away resources from the important Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps keep Minnesotans and Wisconsinites warm and able to pay their utility bills in the cold winter months. Sens. Smith and Baldwin have fought for the vital program each time the administration has sought to cut it, and they’re in Minnesota today making a push on behalf of families and seniors who rely on LIHEAP. In Minnesota alone, 315,000 people—with
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