Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Supports Proposed Sustainable Aviation Fuel Facility Near Moorhead, MN
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Tina Smith wrote a letter to Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm pushing for the construction of a proposed $5 billion sustainable aviation fuel production facility in Moorhead, Minnesota, by DG Fuels. The new facility would create 650 jobs and contribute more than $205 million per year to the growing economy of the Moorhead area. It would produce nearly 200 million gallons of near-zero carbon aviation fuel annually, and production at the facility would begin in 2030. “The clean energy transition is here, and I want Minnesota to lead it,” said Senator Smith. “The construction of this sustainable aviation fuel facility will not only boost Moorhead’s regional economy and create jobs, but it will establish Minnesota as a global hub for clean, sustainable, homegrown energy.” Senator Smith has long been a vocal proponent of Sustainable Aviation Fuel production in Minnesota. In July, Senator Smith joined colleagues in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging the U.S. Treasury Department to finalize the rules to implement the Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, which would help boost production of clean fuels. Senator Smith is a leader on clean energy in the Senate, securing funding for a multitude of clean energy initiatives across the state, continuing to push for national energy security, U.S. leadership in technological and economic development, and lowering energy costs for Minnesotans. Minnesota has also recently created a state tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel production and blending as well as the Minnesota SAF Hub, created by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Economic Development Partnership. The SAF Hub is focused on establishing the world’s first industrial-scale sustainable aviation fuel economy in Minnesota. You can read Senator Smith’s letter here. ###
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, Representative Pete Stauber Announce Grant to Provide High-Speed Internet in Pine County
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) and Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN08) announced a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide high-speed, reliable internet to 38 businesses and 147 farms in Pine County. Over 1,000 people in socially vulnerable communities will have direct access to the internet with modern fiber optics running right to their front door. “We should be able to bring high-speed internet to every family in Minnesota— regardless of their zip code,” said Klobuchar. “This funding builds on broadband upgrades going on across our state including Pine County. As co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus, I’ll keep working across the aisle to make sure all Minnesotans can reliably access the high-speed internet they need.” “Internet access is not just a luxury in the 21st century, it’s a necessity,” saidSenator Smith. “In Minnesota and across the country, people in rural areas, small towns, and Tribal communities need access to reliable, high-speed internet. Investing in broadband infrastructure with the ReConnect Grant Program will help connect communities in every part of the country to high-speed internet and strengthen communities from the ground up.” Too many rural communities across Minnesota still do not have access to high-speed internet and have been left behind in today’s technology-driven economy. As the Representative of a largely rural area, I am proud to help deliver federal funding to ensure the residents, businesses, and farmers of Pine County have the broadband infrastructure necessary to compete and thrive, ” said Representative Stauber. The investment comes from USDA
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Reintroduces Bill to Help Schools Overcome Teacher Shortages in Minnesota, Across the Country
WASHINGTON, D.C. [08.02.22] – Today, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Education Committee—reintroduced legislation to help schools and districts in Minnesota and across the country facing teacher shortages. More than 40 percent of the nation’s small, rural school districts struggle to adequately staff their schools, and shortages are most acute in certain subject areas. There is a growing need for STEM, foreign language, and special education teachers. Additionally, there is a severe lack of racial diversity—nationwide teachers of color compromise only 18 percent of the teacher workforce. “I’m hearing from Minnesota school superintendents about the many vacancies they’re struggling to fill. More than 40 percent of our nation’s small, rural school districts report that it’s
Senator Smith Announces Passage of Bipartisan Legislation That Will Unlock Major Investments in Nation’s Waterways
Washington D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced the Senate has passed the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022, which will unlock and expedite a number of significant projects in Minnesota and across the country. The legislation greenlights investments in the nation’s ports and waterways and includes several priorities Senator Smith has pushed for including Mississippi River protections and Great Lakes coastal resiliency. “Minnesota is blessed with pristine waterways and lakes from Lake Superior to the headwaters of the Mississippi,” said Senator Smith. “This bipartisan legislation will help unlock funding to improve and restore our ports,
Senator Smith, Assistant Speaker Clark Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Expand Trauma-Informed Practices in Schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Assistant Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Katherine Clark (D-MA-5) introduced legislation to improve support for youth with the Trauma-Informed Schools Act. The bill would make key federal funding sources available for teachers, staff and after school programs to support trauma-informed practices in school settings. The bill also defines “trauma-informed practices” for the first time in federal education law, ensuring that such practices are evidence-based and help all students. The bill is co-led by Congressmen Mike Quigley (D-IL-5) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1). The bill would support positive behavioral interventions,
Smith, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Allow Use of U.S. Foreign Assistance for Abortion Care Oversees
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined a group of her colleagues in introducing legislation that would allow U.S. foreign assistance to be used to provide the full scope of comprehensive health care, including safe and legal access to abortion services. The Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act, led by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), would repeal the 1973 Helms Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act and clarify that under U.S. government policy, safe abortion care is a critical component of comprehensive maternal and reproductive care. “Abortion care is a fundamental component of comprehensive reproductive health care and
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