Latest Releases
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
Klobuchar, Smith, Emmer, Craig Announce Provision to Maintain C-130 Aircraft Fleet Passes Congress as Part of Bipartisan Defense Bill
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), along with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (D-MN) and Representative Angie Craig (D-MN), announced that a provision to maintain a fleet of 271 C-130 aircraft across the Air Force fleet passed the Senate and House as part of the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. “C-130 aircraft are the backbone of Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing and support the Air Force’s readiness to carry out essential missions,” said Klobuchar. “We need to maintain the full fleet for our servicemembers who demonstrate a steadfast commitment to our nation’s values every single day. That’s why it’s so important that the bipartisan defense bill included our provision to ensure there are at least 271 C-130 aircraft in the Air Force fleet.” “Our C-130s are vital to Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing and the Air Force’s capability to carry out their missions,” said Smith. “I am glad to see them included in our defense policy bill. Ensuring the Department of Defense maintains enough of these aircraft means stability for the men and women of Minnesota’s National Guard as they carry out their duties at home and overseas.” “With the passage of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, we support the mission of the 133rd Airlift Wing and Minnesota National Guard. We have worked with our congressional delegation and the Minnesota National Guard for years to secure the future of the C-130 and are
Sen. Tina Smith Says Minnesota Winter Olympians Will Put “Best of Our State” on World Stage
With the 2018 Winter Olympics kicking off in PyeongChang, South Korea, U.S. Senator Tina Smith said that she’s excited for the Winter Games to showcase Minnesota’s impressive delegation of athletes—the third most of any state in the country. “I’m so proud of the Minnesota Olympians who are getting ready to put the best of our state on display in South Korea,” said Sen. Smith. “I continue to be amazed that we’re sending 21 athletes to compete in the Winter Games—third most in the entire country—but I’m not all that surprised. Because often when you’re a Minnesotan, once your kids can walk, you bet
Sen. Tina Smith Announces Ag Working Group ahead of Upcoming Farm Bill Debate
U.S. Senator Tina Smith announced the members of her newly-formed Ag Working Group who will help make sure Minnesota priorities are included in the upcoming debate over the federal Farm Bill. “I fought for a spot on the Senate Agriculture Committee because agriculture is the foundation of Minnesota’s economy,” said Sen. Smith. “As we move into this year’s Farm Bill debate, I plan to push Minnesota priorities after hearing from as many Minnesota experts as possible. My new Ag Working Group will bring together Minnesotans with a deep understanding of farm policy and how it impacts our state’s producers, businesses, and communities. They’ll
Sen. Tina Smith Helps Introduce Legislation to Prepare Minnesota Students & Workers for High-Skill, In-Demand Jobs
U.S. Senator Tina Smith helped introduce legislation to tackle the nation’s “skills gap” by expanding partnerships that train students and workers for open, good-paying jobs in fields like manufacturing, health care, clean energy, and IT. Based on successful models that already exist in Minnesota and across the country, the Community College to Career Fund Act (CC2C) would bring together technical colleges, community colleges, and local businesses to prepare people for jobs that are in high demand. “My first official stop in Minnesota after becoming Senator was at Wyoming Machine, a local sheet metal fabricator that’s doing great things,” said Senator Smith, a
Sen. Tina Smith’s Statement on Rick Nolan Retirement Announcement
U.S. Senator Tina Smith released the following statement after U.S. Representative Rick Nolan announced he will retire after his term ends this year: “I thank Rick Nolan for his years of dedicated public service and constant advocacy for the people of Northern Minnesota. This is a bittersweet retirement. I’m happy that Rick will be able to spend more time with his wonderful family, and I know his voice will be missed. Congressman Nolan is a relentless advocate for his constituents. He wasn’t afraid to reach across the aisle to work with those he didn’t always agree with to get things
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