Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Join Bipartisan Group of 29 Senators in Denouncing Amazon’s Persistent Mistreatment of Delivery Drivers
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith joined 27 of their Senate colleagues in a bipartisan letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy requesting information about the company’s Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program and its efforts to avoid legal liability for the persistent mistreatment of DSP drivers. The senators are also seeking information regarding Amazon’s justification for refusing to bargain with union representatives of DSP employees and requiring DSPs to sign non-poaching agreements. “Amazon’s freight truck drivers haul a variety of goods across highways every day, and their branded delivery vehicles are a virtually unavoidable feature in neighborhoods all over the country. Though nearly all Americans are familiar with and reliant on the services of Amazon- branded vehicles – which are operated by drivers in Amazon-branded vests who exclusively deliver packages with big, bold Amazon labels – few realize that Amazon refuses to acknowledge the workers who operate these vehicles as its legal employees,” the senators wrote. The senators detailed the dangerous working conditions of DSP drivers, pointing to reporting that suggests this system takes an awful toll on drivers, who have been forced to work in extreme heat without air conditioning, make deliveries in the snow without proper safety equipment like snow tires or chains, and are pressured to skip breaks. Some drivers have been forced to work for nearly twelve hours without access to a restroom. “Amazon is also facing numerous allegations of flagrant violations of the National Labor Relations Act, including refusal to recognize and bargain
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Request an Inspector General Audit of Minnesota-North Dakota Postal Service
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D – MN) have formally requested that the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service conduct a full audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota District following persistent reports across Minnesota of delayed and unreliable mail service. “We believe it is time for the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to investigate the dysfunction of the MN-ND District,” wrote the Senators. “Minnesotans rely on the Postal Service as an essential public service. Deliveries of medicine, Social Security checks and paychecks, and correspondence with loved ones are critical, especially in rural communities. But too often, the Postal Service is falling short in meeting the reasonable expectations of Minnesotans.” “Even more concerning is that attempts to elevate the concerns of Minnesotans to the USPS have either been dismissed or met with assurances that everything is fine—that the reports of our constituents are incorrect,” wrote the Senators. “This lack of transparency deepens our concern that the serious issues in the MN-ND district are not receiving adequate attention.” The Office of the Inspector General is an independent agency within the USPS that conducts essential oversight over Postal Service operations. Audits conducted by the Inspector General provide an informed, unbiased view of postal operations with a focus on preventing misuse of funds, promoting efficiency and integrity, and sharing information with the USPS Board of Governors, Congress, and USPS management. In their request for a full audit, the senators seek answers to the following issues: Smith and Klobuchar have long worked to improve the reliability of postal service in Minnesota. The
Sen. Tina Smith Fights against Financial Threats to MinnesotaCare
U.S. Senator Tina Smith is working hard in the Senate Health Committee to protect a vital program that provides high-quality, affordable care for more than 100,000 Minnesotans. Late last year, President Trump abruptly ended federal payments that help consumers afford their health insurance coverage. That decision drove up premiums across the country and produced significant confusion and financial losses in several states. Because of these cuts, and other actions taken by the Trump Administration, Minnesota is now on track to lose more than $806 million in total funding from its “Basic Health Program” (BHP)—also known as MinnesotaCare. Now the long-term
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
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