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Klobuchar, Smith Announce Federal Funding for Mahnomen County Airport

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced they secured significant federal funding for Mahnomen County Airport for infrastructure improvements. The grant provides $203,400 to start Phase 1 of the Runway 17/35 improvement project. Improvements include updating the existing lighting and rehabilitating 3,400 feet of paved runway.  “Mahnomen County Airport is an essential link for area residents and businesses,” said Klobuchar. “This federal grant will make needed infrastructure updates to ensure the airport can continue serving travelers for years to come.” “I’m glad to see the Biden-Harris administration once again delivering for travelers in Minnesota and around the country,” said Smith. “Small and regional airports like the Mahnomen County Airport are vital parts of their communities and this funding will go directly towards rehabilitating the runway to ensure it is safe for passengers and crew.” This funding is from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides federal grants for airport infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, signage, lighting, and markings. ###

Klobuchar, Smith Announce Federal Funding for Todd Field Airport

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced they secured significant federal funding for Todd Field Airport for infrastructure improvements. The grant provides $214,749 to resurface 3,501 feet of Runway 16/34, 1,340 feet of taxiway, 278 feet of other surfaces, and 9,320 square yards of general aviation apron pavement. The funding will also be used to rehabilitate 400 square feet of the parking lot and 1,000 feet of the terminal entrance access road.  “Todd Field Airport is an essential link for residents and businesses in Long Prairie and beyond,” said Klobuchar. “This federal grant will make needed infrastructure updates to ensure the airport can continue serving travelers for years to come.” “I’m glad to see the Biden-Harris administration once again delivering for travelers in Minnesota and around the country,” said Smith. “Small and regional airports like the Todd Field Airport are vital parts of their communities and this funding will go directly towards repaving the runway and other important surfaces.” This funding is from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides federal grants for airport infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, signage, lighting, and markings. ###

U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on the BNSF Train Derailment

WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/30/23] — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) issued the following statement in response to this morning’s BNSF train derailment in Raymond, Minnesota, and also announced she’s cosponsoring the legislation to improve railway safety standards: “Thanks to the incredible first responders in Raymond and Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, this morning’s train derailment appears to be contained. I’m grateful for their quick response and leadership that kept Minnesotans safe. But today’s derailment is another reminder that Congress needs to act on rail safety now. I’m cosponsoring the bipartisan Railway Safety Act to enact commonsense rail safety measures and help prevent future

U.S. Senators Smith, Braun Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Address Big Pharma Ploy That Keeps Drug Prices High for Consumers

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Mike Braun (R-IN), reintroduced bipartisan legislation to address a big pharma ploy that prevents access to affordable prescription drugs for millions of people across the country. The Expanding Access to Low-Cost Generics Act—which was the first piece of Senate legislation introduced by Sen. Smith in 2018—addresses an anti-competitive prescription drug practice called “parking.” “Parking” occurs when a brand name manufacturer agrees not to sue the first company that submits an application to create a generic version of that drug—a so-called “first filer”—as long as the generic company agrees to delay bringing

Klobuchar, Smith Announce Federal Investment to Reduce Wildfire Risk in St. Louis County

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN), announced $890,925 in federal investments to help make St. Louis County more resilient to threats of wildfires. The funding will be distributed to local fire departments, lake and road associations, and township boards in the highest wildfire risk areas within the county. The funding is made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar and Smith helped pass last year. “The 2021 Greenwood fire in northeastern Minnesota destroyed family cabins, damaged thousands of acres of forests, and hurt small businesses that rely on tourism. That’s why we must ensure

Senator Smith, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Research the Impact of Consolidation on Livestock Farmers and Ranchers

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), introduced bipartisan legislation to support research into the impact of livestock market consolidation on farmers, ranchers, and consumers in an effort to better understand the problem and craft effective solutions. “Just a handful of large companies have come to dominate the meat and poultry processing industry, which means higher prices for consumers and shrinking earnings for farmers,” said Sen. Smith. “This bipartisan bill would uncover the impact of this consolidation on farmers and consumers and help us create the best possible solutions to fix the problem. I look

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