Latest Releases
Minnesota Congressional Delegation Introduces Bicameral, Bipartisan Resolution Honoring Melissa Hortman, Mark Hortman, and Condemning Political Violence
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), along with Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Representatives Kelly Morrison (D-MN), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Tom Emmer (R-MN), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Angie Craig (D-MN), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), and Brad Finstad (R-MN) introduced a resolution to honor the life of Minnesota State House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and condemn political violence. Full text of the resolution is available HERE and below: Whereas, on June 14, 2025, a gunman entered the home of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and shot and critically injured him and his wife, Yvette Hoffman; Whereas the gunman then entered the home of Minnesota State House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and assassinated her and her husband Mark Hortman; Whereas the gunman had documents that listed dozens of lawmakers targeted for assassination; Whereas the law enforcement officers of Brooklyn Park and Champlin saved additional lives by intervening with their bravery and rapid response to the attack; Whereas Speaker Emerita Hortman was a formidable public servant who served her community and the people of Minnesota with deep devotion, compassion, and strength; Whereas acts of political violence have no place in the United States and represent a grave threat; Whereas swift condemnation of political violence by elected officials is necessary to preserve and protect the democracy of the United States; Whereas, when these violent acts expose division, the people of the United
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Presses Attorney General Bondi to Investigate Scam DMV Text Messages
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tina Smith is pressing the Trump Administration to take action to combat a widespread text message scam affecting Minnesotans. Thousands of Minnesotans are reporting fake text messages from senders impersonating the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). These impersonators urge Minnesotans to make an online payment for an unidentified traffic violation or risk prosecution, a loss of driving privileges, and a damaged credit score, in addition to costing Minnesotans money. You can find an example of these messages here. “Beyond being a simple nuisance, these scams jeopardize the financial security of those it victimizes. And these messages threaten the peace of mind of thousands of Minnesotans who face the uncertainty of whether these messages are authentic,” wrote Senator Smith. “I appreciate the efforts of our state officials who have confirmed the inauthenticity of these messages and have urged caution, but this scale and sophistication of this scam campaign calls for a federal response,” she continued. Fake DMV text messages have been reported across the nation, including Georgia, New York, Indiana, Florida, New Jersey and Colorado. Minnesotans faced a similar scam earlier this year when bad actors sent messages claiming to be the Minnesota Department of Transportation, soliciting payments for fake unpaid tolls. Senator Smith requested a response from the Department of Justice no later than June 20, 2025. If you received one of these messages and fell victim to the scam, file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center: https://www.ic3.gov/. Read the full copy of the letter from
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Federal Funding for Solar Energy for Tribal Communities and Low-Income Households
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced two grants that will expand residential solar projects in Minnesota. The first grant will help increase solar adoption in lower-income communities who are often excluded from clean energy projects. The second award will help build solar energy capacity for Minnesota Tribal communities. These “Solar for All” grants are made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which both Klobuchar and Smith helped get passed into law. “When it comes to clean energy, I’ve always said we can either lead or follow. I think Minnesota should lead, and that’s exactly what these grants will enable us to do,” said Senator Tina Smith. “These grants
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Clean Energy Projects for Minnesota Farms and Small Businesses
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced grants for 70 farms and small businesses across rural and Greater Minnesota to install clean energy technology on their farms. This round of funding for Minnesota totals nearly $8 million. This initiative is possible through the Renewable Energy for America (REAP) program, which Senator Smith championed and strengthened in the Inflation Reduction Act. “The clean energy transition is happening, and I want us to lead it,” said Senator Smith. “As we make the switch to cleaner, cheaper energy, we need to make sure everyone benefits. That’s why programs like
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Funding to Increase Minnesota’s STEM Talent Pipeline, Foster Diversity in STEM Fields
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced two grants for Minnesota middle schools, high schools, colleges, and universities to strengthen Minnesota’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent pipeline. One award sponsors the North Star STEM Alliance, a program that supports public, private, and Tribal colleges and universities in their efforts to significantly increase the numbers of students enrolling into and successfully completing high quality degree programs in STEM disciplines in order to diversify the STEM workforce. The other award supports the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus to partner with Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) and Hamline University, among others, to
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Clean Energy Manufacturing Investment in Fridley
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-Minn.) announced Cummins, Inc. received a tax credit allocation of $10,500,000 for investment in electrolyzer manufacturing and testing in Fridley, Minn., for its Accelera by Cummins zero-emissions business. This investment is expected to support more than 260 direct jobs and nearly 2,000 indirect jobs. Electrolyzers separate water into oxygen and hydrogen, and when done using renewable energy, create carbon-free hydrogen that can be stored and used as a clean energy source. The funding comes from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which both Klobuchar and Smith supported. “Minnesota has long been a hub for innovation
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