Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce New Childcare Facility in Luverne
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Education Committee, announced federal funding they secured last year to renovate a vacant facility in Luverne, Minnesota into a childcare center has been disbursed. The project will help the city purchase and renovate a facility into a new center that will accommodate 186 infants, toddlers, preschool, and school-age children. The renovated space will also accommodate staff and administrative spaces, a gymnasium, and food preparation kitchen. “Too often I have heard that parents around the state, including in Rock County, have difficulty finding safe, reliable, and affordable child care in their communities,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We worked to secure a federal grant for Luverne to open a new child care center to serve hundreds of kids and expand options for parents.” “With few options for childcare in this area, working families are put in a serious bind. How can parents work without a safe, affordable place for their kids to go while they are at work?” said Senator Smith. “Luverne is leading the way in creating a community young families will want to live in, and this new facility is a testament to their hard work.” Rock County has over 350 kids below the age of five who need childcare, but capacity for just 240 of them, according to First Children’s Finance. Over the last ten years, almost half of the nearly 60 home child care providers in Rock County have left the field or retired. For some families, it makes more financial sense stay home rather
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues, Demand VA Improves Care for Victims of Sexual Assault
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), led by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-MT), joined her colleagues to send a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) urging the Department to take immediate steps to improve the readiness of VA facilities and staff to address the needs of veterans after experiencing a sexual assault. The letter comes as a result of a concerning VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) report finding significant shortfalls in care provided by VA to veterans who seek care after sexual assault. The letter was also signed by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Patty Murray (D-WA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI) Angus King (I-ME), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ). “We urge the Department to work expeditiously to implement the recommendations in the [OIG] report and take a more proactive stance towards preparing facilities, both emergent and non-emergent, and staff for how to respond to encounters related to sexual assault,” wrote the Senators to VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “Despite the low volume of emergent acute sexual assault victims presenting in VA emergency departments and urgent care centers, we expect the Department to ensure our veterans receive the best possible health care and services, either onsite or via a warm handoff to a community provider.” The Senators highlighted VA’s “unacceptable” shortfalls in providing
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Announces New Bipartisan Senate Effort to Highlight What’s Working in Rural Communities
East Grand Forks, MN [08/12/19] – Saying she’s been inspired by the spirit, resilience and ingenuity of the people she’s met in rural communities across Minnesota, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced today that she will lead a new bipartisan Senate group that will highlight what’s working in rural America, and lift up the local ideas that are helping rural communities thrive in the face of a persistent slump in the farm economy. Sen. Smith said she is forming the bipartisan Senate “Rural Economic Working Group” along with Republican Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota to connect with people and organizations
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.”
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