Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Federal Grant to Purchase Public Safety Security Equipment in Mahnomen
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $50,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant to purchase public safety security cameras and related equipment for the city of Mahnomen. This funding will help replace outdated and inoperable cameras, allowing for effective and efficient safety monitoring and providing law enforcement with direct access to footage for future use. “Investing in public safety equipment is crucial to keeping our communities safe,” said Klobuchar. “This federal grant will upgrade the City of Mahnoman’s security camera system and provide law enforcement with the tools they need to do their job.” “Improving public safety infrastructure is critical to ensuring the safety of our communities,” said Smith. “This project will replace public safety and security cameras in Mahnomen to effectively monitor public safety, directly benefitting the community.” Senators Klobuchar and Smith are members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, which oversees the USDA. This federal funding was secured through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. Program grants can be used by communities across the country to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community in a primarily rural area, such as health care facilities, public safety services, educational services, and more. ###
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Federal Grant to Build New Fire Station in Dilworth
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $975,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant to advance the city of Dilworth’s fire station replacement project. The city’s existing fire station is approximately 40 years old and co-located with the community center. This project will help remodel an old fire hall to house the fire department and provide adequate space for all emergency service providers and equipment to efficiently provide fire rescue services to residents. This grant follows funding Klobuchar and Smith secured for the project in March 2022. “Dilworth is long overdue for a new fire station so emergency service providers have the space and equipment they need to continue serving the community,” said Klobuchar. “This federal grant will advance the fire station construction project to address Dilworth’s public safety needs.” “Emergency service providers put themselves in harm’s way to keep our communities safe and they deserve our support,” said Smith. “After almost 40 years of sharing a building with the city’s community center, Dilworth is receiving a federal investment I helped to get to construct a new standalone fire station. This new fire station will help make sure that firefighters and EMS providers have the space and equipment they need to do their jobs effectively and respond to emergencies in Dilworth and the surrounding communities.” Senators Klobuchar and Smith are members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, which oversees the USDA. This federal funding was secured through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Direct Loan
U.S. Sens. Smith & Cramer Unveil Bipartisan Bill to Fully Examine Scope of Insulin Affordability Crisis in Order to Bring Relief to Americans Struggling to Afford Medication
WASHINGTON, D.C. [11/14/19]—In association with World Diabetes Day, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) today introduced bipartisan legislation—along with Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)—to create a national study to more fully understand the scope of the insulin affordability crisis in America. Earlier this year, Sens. Smith and Cramer introduced bold, bipartisan legislation to bring down the cost of insulin and hold manufactures accountable for excessive increases in the price of the life-sustaining medicine. Now, the senators and a bipartisan group of their Senate colleagues are working to expand the scope
Ahead of Veterans Day, U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Help Veterans Get Care for Hearing Loss, Their Most Common Service-Related Health Issue
WASHINGTON, D.C. [11/07/19]—With Veterans Day around the corner, today U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced legislation to reduce the red tape many veterans face when trying to get care for hearing loss as a result of their service—something many veterans say is an enormous burden despite being the most common service-connected ailment. Sen. Smith heard about this problem through her office’s veterans’ health care tour last year, which visited some 10 communities throughout Minnesota to hear what health challenges veterans face. You can access a summary of the bill here and text of the bill here. Currently, veterans receiving benefits through the VA must
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, 37 Colleagues Lead Push to Renew Lapsed Funding for Minority-Serving Colleges
WASHINGTON, D.C. [11/06/19]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and 37 of her Senate colleagues are leading a push to pass funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal colleges, and other minority-serving institutions. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sen. Smith, along with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and their colleagues, called for the immediate passage of the FUTURE Act, which would reauthorize $255 million in mandatory federal funding for these institutions, and expired on September 30, 2019. The House of Representatives approved the legislation unanimously in September. “Minnesota’s Tribal Colleges are important institutions and serve as key resources for Native American students, and minority-serving institutions of higher education serve nearly 6 million students nationwide,” said Sen.
Klobuchar, Smith Announce over $26 Million for Rural Electric Infrastructure Investments in Minnesota
WASHINGTON– U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded loan funding totaling over $26 million for rural electric infrastructure improvements across Minnesota. “These investments will help our rural electric providers better serve Minnesotans by adding connections, energizing additional miles of transmission lines, and providing for more reliable electric infrastructure across the state,” Klobuchar said.“Projects like these not only boost the economy, but also help to modernize our electric grid and support essential services throughout our state.” “We need to strengthen rural Minnesota’s electric infrastructure because it’s vital to building a
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