Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Baldwin, Smith, Stauber Urge Transportation Secretary Buttigieg to Support Federal Funding to Rebuild the Blatnik Bridge
WASHINGTON – Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Tina Smith (D-MN) and Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN) sent a bipartisan letter urging Transportation Secretary Buttigieg to support Minnesota and Wisconsin’s application for federal funding to rebuild the Blatnik Bridge. “We write to reiterate our strong support of the Minnesota and Wisconsin Department of Transportations’ application for federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” wrote the lawmakers. “By replacing the Blatnik Bridge, the project would exemplify the type of critical infrastructure project that was envisioned by Congress.”“As noted in our previous letter to President Biden in September 2023, the Blatnik Bridge, located over St. Louis Bay on Lake Superior, is one of two bridges that connects the cities of Duluth, Minnesota with Superior, Wisconsin,” the lawmakers continued. “It is an essential economic engine in the region and a key link in the global supply chain.”In September, Klobuchar, Smith, Baldwin, and Representative Stauber sent a letter to President Biden urging him to fund this project. In August, Klobuchar and Smith sent letters to Secretary Buttigieg in support of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)’s applications for funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including the U.S. Department of Transportation National Infrastructure Project Assistance Program and its Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Program. In 2022, Klobuchar, Smith, and Baldwin sent a letter to President Biden urging him to fund this project. President Biden visited the Blatnik Bridge in 2022 with Klobuchar, Baldwin, and Smith, to discuss how the bridge could benefit from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In 2021, Klobuchar, a member of the Senate Commerce
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar and Representative Angie Craig Press Postal Service Again for Answers on Mail Carriers’ Missing Paychecks
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D – MN), and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-MN02) sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy seeking answers about an apparent payroll system error that led to an estimated 2,200 rural letter carriers missing paychecks. The incident is the second major payroll problem for the Postal Service since September. The lawmakers sent a similar letter to Postmaster General DeJoy in September seeking answers when approximately 53,000 postal workers missed or received only partial paychecks, and the Postal Service responded that they had solved the issue that caused the error. “In your response, you assured us that the payroll programming error was ‘corrected’ and ‘rigorously tested,’ but just three months later we must address this again with you. Rural letter carriers provide an essential service to small towns and rural places in Minnesota and around the country. They deliver medicine, bills, Social Security checks and other crucial documents and items. They provide for their own families and deserve timely compensation,” the lawmakers said. In their letter, Senators Smith, Klobuchar, and Representative Craig called for DeJoy to take immediate steps to pay affected workers and ensure this problem is not repeated. Smith, Klobuchar and Craig have long worked to improve the reliability of postal service in Minnesota. All 3 lawmakers have introduced bicameral, bipartisan legislation addressing transparency at the Postal Service. Smith and Klobuchar both sent letters to Postmaster DeJoy regarding the disruptions caused by increased Amazon package delivery and decried Postmaster General DeJoy’s response. In September, they pressed USPS for answers about a payroll error that led to 53,000 rural letter carriers missing or receiving only a partial
U.S. Senators Klobuchar and Smith Urge Minnesota Dairy Farmers to Take Advantage of Extended Enrollment Deadline for Margin Protection Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/23/2019]—Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) are urging Minnesota dairy farmers to sign up for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program by the extended deadline of September 27. The Senators said that the DMC program offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. All dairy operations in Minnesota are eligible for the DMC program. “Over the past few years, dairy farmers have continued to face market instability and sustained low prices and they deserve our support during tough times like these,” Sen. Klobuchar said. “This sign-up
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Says Mayor Bob Anderson Was Dedicated to “Anything and Everything Connected to His Beloved International Falls”
MINNESOTA [09/20/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement about the passing of International Falls mayor Bob Anderson: “I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of International Falls Mayor Bob Anderson. Mayor Anderson was passionate about his community and his love was reflected in his years of dedication to the airport, hospital, Highway 53 Task Force, the county, anything and everything connected to his beloved International Falls. I’m grateful I saw him just this August. He was a friend and I will miss seeing him when I visit the Borderland.”
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Senate Colleagues Make Bipartisan Effort to Stop Deceptive Meat Labeling
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/20/2019]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is leading a bipartisan Senate effort to stop deceptive labeling practices that hurt bison ranchers and mislead consumers in Minnesota and across the country. This week, Sen. Smith and several Senate colleagues introduced the “Truth in Buffalo Labeling Act” that would allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prohibit water buffalo products from being marketed as “buffalo.” “Minnesota’s bison ranches are an important part of our farming economy,” said Sen. Smith. “Deceptive labeling not only hurts their bottom lines, but also misleads Minnesotans into purchasing and eating food that’s not necessarily what they think it is. This labeling fix will help ranchers and consumers alike.” “Minnesota
U.S. Senators Smith and Cramer Make Bipartisan Push to Hold Big Pharma Accountable, Have Execs Address Congress Directly About Skyrocketing Drug Prices
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/17/2019]—Today U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) urged the U.S. Senate Finance Committee to hold a hearing on their bipartisan bill to address the skyrocketing price of insulin and help people with diabetes access the life-saving medication they need to survive. The two lawmakers said that during the hearing they also hope to have pharmaceutical executives address Congress directly about high drug prices that are hurting many Americans. Approximately 7.5 million Americans with diabetes rely on insulin every day to survive yet the average price of insulin almost doubled between 2012 and 2016—forcing some patients into the dangerous practice
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