Latest Releases
Minnesota Housing Organizations Celebrate Smith’s Bipartisan Rural Housing, Homelessness Bills Advancing in U.S. Senate
ST. PAUL, MN – Minnesota housing organizations from across the state are celebrating legislation by U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), top Democrat on the Senate Housing Subcommittee, advancing to the Senate floor. Smith’s bills were included in the first comprehensive, national housing reform legislative package in over a decade, dubbed the ROAD to Housing Act of 2025, which passed the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee unanimously (24-0). “The lack of safe, decent, affordable housing in this country is a choice that we’re making, but with this new legislative package, we’re choosing a different path. For the first time in over a decade, this committee is taking bipartisan action to cut red tape, boost the supply of housing, lower housing costs, and improve how we tackle homelessness in ways that best work for individual communities,” said Senator Smith. “The biggest share of the average Minnesotan’s monthly budget is their rent or their mortgage. Taking action on the housing crisis is one of the best ways we can make life more affordable and better for families, because if you don’t have a safe, decent, affordable place to live, nothing else in your life works.” Smith’s legislation included: “We all need a safe, stable place to call home. The ROAD to Housing Act of 2025 brings together real, workable solutions that will help more families put down roots and thrive. From making it easier to build high-quality homes using modern methods like modular construction, to expanding access to small-dollar mortgages and
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Todd Young Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Farmers, Analyze Long-Term Soil Health
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Todd Young (R-IN) reintroduced bipartisan legislation that will help bolster soil research and improve agricultural resilience and productivity in the Midwest and across the country. Experts estimate that American farmers could store up to 220 billion pounds of carbon annually across all US croplands. However, current technology cannot accurately measure soil carbon levels, impacting our ability to track soil health improvements, correlate those improvements with on-farm benefits, and reward farmers for their contributions to environmental health and resilience. “Farmers in Minnesota understand the importance of having reliably healthy, productive soil,” said Senator Smith. “This bipartisan legislation would help farmers by supporting a long-term research effort that deepens our understanding of soil carbon storage potential in agricultural land. These tools can help make our farms more resilient and give farmers access to realistic, impactful strategies for their operations. It’s a win for farmers today and the farmers of future generations.” “Hoosier farmers and producers feed our communities, drive our economy, and play a critical role in our supply chains. This legislation will equip and empower our agriculture sector to choose the best practices for their individual operations,” said Senator Young. The Advancing Research on Agricultural Soil Health Act will allow strategic investment in technologies to measure and monitor soil carbon. This information can improve our understanding of agriculture’s potential to store emitted carbon and empower farmers and ranchers to choose the best practices available to them. Specifically, The Advancing Research on Agricultural Soil Health Act would
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Celebrate $92 Million for Minnesota Water Infrastructure Upgrades
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced more than $92 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for Minnesota drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades. The funding is part of the more than $50 billion investment in water infrastructure upgrades from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – the largest such investment in American history. Today’s announcement will support essential water infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies across the state. Almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring funds reach underserved communities most in need of investments in
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Significant Federal Infrastructure Funding for Bemidji Regional Airport
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced they secured significant federal funding for the expansion of Bemidji Regional Airport’s Passenger Terminal. The grant provides $261,250 to expand the passenger terminal, which will address current concerns regarding security checkpoints and congestion throughout the terminal. The grant is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. “Bemidji Regional Airport needs to expand its passenger terminal to operate safely and efficiently,” said Klobuchar. “This funding builds on the other federal grants we secured to improve the security checkpoint and extend the life of the runway so that the airport can continue to
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Significant Federal Infrastructure Funding for Two Harbors Helgeson Municipal Airport
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced they secured significant federal funding for Two Harbors Helgeson Municipal Airport, which will contribute to the construction of a general aviation terminal. The grant provides $1,140,000 to fund the construction of their new terminal, replacing the existing 640 square foot terminal built in 1976. The grant is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar and Smith supported. “This major grant is going to be a gamechanger for the airport,” said Klobuchar. “This new terminal will upgrade the travel experience at Two Harbors Helgeson Municipal Airport for passengers and
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Funding to Upgrade, Relocate Duluth International Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith announced she helped secure funding for Duluth International Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower relocation project. The $10 million in funding will support relocating the non-standard tower currently at the airport, a tower which was commissioned in 1963. The airport coordinates over 67,000 arrivals/departures per year, contributes over $700 million to northern Minnesota’s economy, and supports over 6,000 jobs in the area. “The Duluth International Airport provides critical service to northern Minnesota, from commercial service to cargo, military and medical flights, yet it’s operating with a 70-year-old tower – the third oldest in the nation,” said Senator Smith. “This investment will make DLH safer and
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