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
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Announce $830k USDA Grants to Help MN Farmers Cut Energy Costs
WASHINGTON, D.C. [08/20/19]—Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that the USDA is investing nearly $830,000 in grants to Minnesota to help reduce energy costs for farmers and ag producers through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Grants have been awarded to 54 Minnesota projects, mostly on family farms. Minnesota recipients can use REAP grants to install renewable energy systems—like biofuels or power generation from wind, solar, or biomass, for example—and make energy efficiency improvements. Funds can also be used on energy storage projects and energy audits. “These Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants will help Minnesotans develop renewable energy and energy efficiency projects to increase the productivity and efficiency of their farms and
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Says Trump Administration’s Restrictions on Family Planning Program Will Limit Americans’ Ability to Make Informed Health Care Decisions
WASHINGTON, D.C. [08/19/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement after Planned Parenthood announced its forced exit from the Title X federal family planning program due to the Trump Administration’s new restrictions barring health care providers from exploring all health care options with patients and families. “Family planning is basic health care for people, and key to economic opportunity and people having the freedom to build their own lives. I trust people to make good decisions for themselves about their reproductive health care,” said Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Health Committee and former Planned Parenthood executive. “The Trump Administration’s move to force Planned Parenthood to withdraw from the
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Says Joe Begich Was a “True Advocate for Minnesota’s Iron Range”
MINNESOTA [08/12/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement about the passing of longtime Iron Range state representative Joe Begich: “Joe Begich was a true advocate for Minnesota’s Iron Range, Minnesota labor, and hardworking people everywhere. Earning his respect and friendship made me proud. We have lost a true champion, a fighter, and a guy who was never afraid to speak the speak truth to power. We will miss him.”
U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Tammy Baldwin: ‘We’re Not the Same Person’ in Video on Climate Change
WASHINGTON, DC [08/01/19]— Today in a new video, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) called for action to protect the Great Lakes from the adverse effects of climate change while establishing their distinct identities. Smith and Baldwin, both members of the Senate Democratic Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, said that the negative effects of climate change on the Great Lakes, such as the increase in average surface water temperatures, pose a threat to public health, the environment, and the economy. Environmental changes in the Great Lakes region create challenges for nearby communities, wildlife populations, and the industries that sustain over
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