Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Press the Administration on Potential Closure Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) wrote a letter demanding answers about a report that the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling may be closed and sold. This building houses essential services for veterans and military processing. In a letter to General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Stephen Ehikian, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, and Military Entrance Processing Command (MEPCOM) Commander Colonel Frankie Cochiaosue, the Senators warned that shutting it down could disrupt services for veterans and harm military readiness. “The services provided in the Whipple building are essential federal services. In particular, the closure of the Whipple Building would jeopardize veterans’ services for thousands of Minnesota veterans. Veterans’ access to disability and pension benefits, employment and housing counseling, and memorial benefits would all be impacted,” wrote the Senators. In the letter, they also raised concerns that GSA has not followed its own requirements for public engagement and proper planning before offloading federal property. They demanded transparency on whether the federal government intends to close the building and what steps, if any, are being taken to ensure uninterrupted access to services. You can access full text of the letter here.
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Press Administration on Potential Closure of Indian Health Service Office in Bemidji
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) wrote a letter demanding answers about the potential termination of the Indian Health Service office lease in Bemidji. In a letter to General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Stephen Ehikian and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Senators highlighted the devastating impact this decision could have on the health and well-being of thousands of Native Americans across the region. “Thousands of members of federally recognized Tribal Nations receive healthcare within the Bemidji Area Office’s purview. This includes emergency care, substance use disorder treatment, mental healthcare, primary, specialty, and dental care, and much more. Without an operational Area Office, recipients of this care will face immediate disruptions in care and health consequences. It is unconscionable to risk the healthcare of children and families in this way,” wrote the Senators. The Bemidji Area Office is responsible for healthcare services for 34 Tribal Nations and 4 urban Indian health programs in 5 states. In the letter, Senators Smith and Klobuchar underscored that IHS services are provided under the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations and that any disruption in operations could jeopardize essential medical services. They demanded clarity on whether GSA intends to terminate the lease and if so, what plans exist to prevent service disruptions. You can access full text of the letter here.
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Federal Funding to Improve Taconite’s Water System
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $851,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant and a $1,494,000 loan to make improvements to the City of Taconite’s water system. The funding will advance the construction of a new water storage tank, a water pump house, and a replacement water tower. The project will also install individual water meters for customers and develop a meter-reader system. “To ensure families are getting quality water out of their taps, it’s important to upgrade water infrastructure once the equipment reaches the end of its useful life,” said Klobuchar. “With
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Federal Funding to Improve Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water System
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $2,194,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant and a $26,179,000 loan to make improvements to the Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water system that services the counties of Lyon, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Yellow Medicine, and Redwood. This project will construct a new water source and water treatment plant, and make improvements to the current water treatment plant to ensure the growing regional water demand is met. “The Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water System currently serves five counties, and the demand for water is growing,” said Klobuchar. “With these federal
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Thom Tillis, Cory Booker and Todd Young Introduce Resolution Honoring 100th Anniversary of the National League of Cities
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Todd Young (R-IN) introduced a resolution honoring the 100th anniversary of the National League of Cities. The National League of Cities is the oldest and largest organization of municipal governments in the United States, representing over 19,000 cities, towns, and villages and more than 218,000,000 residents. Senators Smith, Tillis and Booker served in local government before coming to Congress. “I always say that the best ideas come from those closest to the work, and local governments exemplify that best,” said Senator Smith. “As former Chief of Staff to the Mayor
U.S. SENATOR TINA SMITH ANNOUNCES ABORTION CLINIC DIRECTOR TAMMI KROMENAKER AS STATE OF THE UNION GUEST
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that Tammi Kromenaker, the Clinic Director of the Red River Women’s Clinic in Moorhead, MN, will be her guest at the President’s State of the Union Address on Thursday, March 7th in Washington, D.C. The Red River Women’s Clinic spent nearly 25 years in Fargo, where it was North Dakota’s sole abortion provider for most of that time. When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade with the Dobbs decision in 2022, the Republican Governor of North Dakota enacted one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country. To continue serving patients in desperate need of
English