Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Announce Funding from U.S. Department of Agriculture to Help Expand High-Speed Internet Access in Rural Areas
WASHINGTON, June 27th, 2024 – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-Minn.) announced $25 million in funding availability from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase high-speed internet access in rural and Tribal communities. The funding is made available through the USDA’s Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) Program, part of the Biden Administration’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to connect every community in America with affordable, reliable, high-speed internet. “We should be able to bring high-speed internet to every family in Minnesota— regardless of their zip code,” said Klobuchar. “This funding will ensure that the broadband upgrades going on across our state also reach our rural areas. 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,” said Senator 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 Broadband Technical Assistance Program is a step in the right direction, helping connect communities in every part of the country to high-speed internet and strengthening communities from the ground up.” The program will support local governments, organizations, cooperatives, and Tribes as they work to expand broadband access in rural communities, delivering on President Biden’s promise to invest in infrastructure and strengthen the economy from the inside out. This includes funding infrastructure studies, network designs, hiring efforts, application assistance and more. The announcement marks the second round of funding for the program.
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Federal Investment to Foster Local Zoning Reform in Twin Cities
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chair of the Senate Housing Subcommittee, announced $4 million in funding to assist localities around the Twin Cities trying to update local ordinances to build more affordable housing. The award will provide technical support to cities and towns already in the process of updating their zoning codes to incentivize more housing construction. The announcement comes on the heels of a visit from the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, who was in Minneapolis for a roundtable discussion on housing and a tour of a federally-funded affordable housing apartment made possible thanks to Minneapolis’ updated zoning codes, federal funding through the American Rescue Plan and solar tax credits provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. “Without a safe, decent, affordable place to live, nothing else in your life works. Our housing crisis can’t be solved by just one level of government. We need to increase our supply of all kinds of housing to boost the number of homes available and drive down costs, and that takes federal, state, local and private-sector coordination,” said Senator Smith. “Cities across the Metro have been working hard to reduce barriers to affordable housing and boost housing supply. This funding will support these efforts and further invest in the production and preservation of affordable housing in the region.” “Access to stable, affordable, quality housing is key to expanding economic opportunities for families but right now the housing market is inaccessible for far too many,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar. “This funding
Sen. Smith, Senate Colleagues Urge Key Federal Agency to Address Medical Debt
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues in a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Rohit Chopra highlighting the growing medical debt burden faced by consumers. Specifically, the letter urges the CFPB to address the growing medical debt burden faced by U.S. consumers, and establish an ombudsman position for consumer medical debt. The ombudsman would help resolve consumer complaints and ensure compliance with federal directives, like the ban on surprise medical bills. An ombudsman could also monitor the changes announced last week by Equifax, Experian, and Transunion to ensure that the proposed change to medical debt
Sen. Smith’s Bipartisan Bill to Help Tribes Pursue Justice for Crimes of Sexual Violence Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON [03/24/22]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee—announced that her bipartisan legislation, which will restore Tribal criminal jurisdiction over crimes of sexual violence committed by non-Native offenders on Tribal lands, was signed into law. According to the National Institute of Justice, over half of all Native American women—56 percent—and more than one in four Native men have experienced sexual violence in their lifetimes. And among those, almost all—96 percent of women and 89 percent of men—were victimized by a non-Native offender. Yet, few survivors ever see justice. The Justice for Native Survivors of Sexual Violence
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces $400,000 in Federal Funding Ensuring 100 Jobs for East Central Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/24/22]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced $400,000 in federal funding for the East Central Regional Development Commission (ECRDC). These funds were made available by the ‘Revolving Loan Fund’ provided by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, which Senator Smith helped pass last year. “The American Rescue Plan Act continues to make significant impacts for small businesses and entrepreneurs across Minnesota,” said Sen. Smith. “The last two years have been incredibly challenging but our economy is recovering. This fund will create 50 new jobs and save 50 existing jobs – ensuring 100 people will continue to be able to
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement Announcing Her Support for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/24/22]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement announcing her intention to vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States: “I will be voting to confirm Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court. “This is an exciting moment. I’ve been following the hearings closely, and Judge Jackson has shown character, intellect, and grace. “If confirmed, Judge Jackson would be the first Black woman and first former federal public defender on the Supreme Court. I have full confidence that she will protect the freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution and uphold the
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