Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding to Reconstruct Robert Street in St. Paul
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $25,000,000 for the Highway 3/Robert St. project planning in St. Paul. The grant, provided through USDOT’s RAISE program, will reconstruct approximately 1.5 miles of State Highway 3, including upgrading pedestrian crossings, improving sidewalks and trails, managing speed, expanding multimodal options, rehabilitating or replacing 100-year-old retaining walls/bridge, and improving transit access. “Robert Street is a critical route in St. Paul, used by drivers, bikers, and pedestrians,” said Klobuchar. “This federal support will make this highway safer and more efficient for all travelers.” “If we’re going to build an economy that works for everyone, then we need to prioritize investments in vital infrastructure, like roads and bridges, that connect people with opportunities all across the state,” said Senator Smith. “This project will replace outdated infrastructure that is nearly 100 years old while simultaneously making Robert Street/Highway 3 safer for drivers, cyclists, transit users and pedestrians alike.” RAISE grants can be used by communities across the country for a wide variety of transportation projects with significant local or regional impact. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar and Smith supported and was signed into law in 2021, delivered a 50 percent increase in the amount of available funding for the RAISE grants, as well as resources for improving the state’s roads, bridges, public transportation, and water infrastructure. ###
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding for Rehabilitating the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $11,200,000 for the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. The grant, provided through USDOT’s RAISE program, will rehabilitate this historic bridge, including surface preparation and repainting, lead abatement, replacement of deteriorated sections, miscellaneous structural steel repairs, repairs to spalled and delaminated concrete, and replacement of the bridge sidewalks. It builds on the $1,500,000 in total funding secured for the Aerial Lift Bridge’s pedestrian walkways by Senators Klobuchar and Smith in Fiscal Years 2022, 2023, and 2024. “The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge is a landmark and a vital part of Duluth’s transportation system,” said Klobuchar. “It is not only a critical link for drivers, but also supports essential infrastructure such as water, sewage, natural gas, electrical, and data services, and provides ships key access to the Twin Ports. With this grant, the City of Duluth will make critical infrastructure improvements to make the Aerial Lift Bridge resilient for generations to come.” “The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge is an iconic and historic piece of infrastructure that has connected communities and supported local businesses for over a century,” said Smith. “Securing resources for projects like this is important for strengthening Minnesota’s infrastructure and economy. This funding will support the critical repairs and upgrades needed to ensure the bridge remains operational for years to come.” “The City of Duluth is thrilled to receive this $11.2 million RAISE grant from the US Department of Transportation,” said Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert. “The Aerial Lift Bridge
Sen. Smith Cosponsors Legislation to Protect the Right of Women to Cross State Lines to Seek Abortion Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/12/22] – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined a group of her Democratic colleagues, including Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), in introducing the Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2022. This legislation would make it crystal clear that it is illegal for anti-choice states to limit travel for abortion services and would empower the Attorney General and impacted individuals to bring civil action against those who restrict a woman’s right to cross state lines to receive legal reproductive care. “After successfully overturning Roe and gutting 50
U.S. Senators Smith and Lankford Introduce Legislation to Create Parity Within the Indian Health Care System
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/12/22] – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced bipartisan legislation that would help achieve parity within the Indian Health System. The Urban Indian Health Confer Act will amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to confer with urban Indian organizations regarding health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) living in urban areas – a critical step that will create parity within the Indian Health System. “American Indian and Alaska Native people living in urban areas deserve an active voice in the policies that affect them,” said
Klobuchar, Bennet, Slotkin Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Strengthen Media Literacy Education and Improve Personal Cybersecurity
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Representative Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) introduced two pieces of bicameral legislation to strengthen media literacy education to teach Americans the skills to identify online misinformation and disinformation. The Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy Act would create a grant program at the Department of Commerce to teach students digital citizenship and media literacy skills to help them think critically about online content. The Veterans Online Information and Cybersecurity Empowerment (VOICE) Act would create a grant program at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to teach veterans digital and media literacy
Klobuchar, Smith Introduce Legislation to Rename Twin Cities Post Offices In Honor of Three Distinguished Minnesotans
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced three pieces of bicameral legislation to rename three post offices in the Twin Cities in honor of distinguished Minnesotans. The legislation proposes renaming the Minneapolis Post Office in honor of former Congressman Martin Sabo; the Richfield Post Office in honor of U.S. Marine Corps veteran Charles Lindberg, who served during World War Two and helped raise the first American flag at Iwo Jima; and the South St. Paul Post Office in honor of Officer Leo Pavlak, a member of the St. Paul Police Department who lost his life
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