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Senators Klobuchar, Smith Lead Entire Minnesota Bipartisan Congressional Delegation in Urging Biden Administration to Approve Minnesota’s Request for Disaster Declaration
MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Representatives Brad Finstad (R-MN-01), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Dean Phillips (D-MN-03), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Tom Emmer (R-MN-06), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN-07), and Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) urged the Biden Administration to approve Minnesota’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration to help communities that are working to recover from severe weather and flooding. Once this disaster declaration is approved, the federal government will be able to provide disaster assistance for various recovery and rebuilding efforts. “We write to you in strong support of the state of Minnesota’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration under the Stafford Act to assist communities that are working to recover from severe storms and flooding. These natural disasters have caused significant damage, and we ask that you quickly grant approval for federal disaster assistance,”said the lawmakers. The lawmakers continued, “Time and time again, Minnesotans have stepped up to support their neighbors after natural disasters. When flood waters rise and homes are damaged, volunteers and neighbors are quick to fill sandbags, clean up debris, and lend a hand to those in need. Impacted communities will repair the damage and rebuild following these disasters, but rapid federal assistance will speed up this recovery effort. We strongly support Minnesota’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration and ask that you grant its approval without delay.” Full text of the letter is available HERE and below: Dear Mr. President: We write to you in strong support of the state of Minnesota’s
Minnesota, North Dakota Delegations Respond to Inspector General’s Audit of Postal Service, Press Postmaster General for Better Service
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), John Hoeven (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) led the entire Minnesota and North Dakota congressional delegations in sending a bipartisan letter pressing Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to improve postal services in the Minnesota-North Dakota District. The letter comes after the Postal Service’s Inspector General audited the District and found 130,858 missing or delayed pieces of mail at six post offices over the course of only two days. The lawmakers also requested regular updates from the Postal Service on their progress in implementing these recommendations. “It has long been clear that postal operations in the District are in trouble, and the investigation confirms this,” wrote lawmakers.“We need to ensure that the OIG’s recommendations are fully implemented and actually result in significantly improved mail delivery and services across our states.” Senators Smith and Klobuchar requested the audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota Postal District back in December, as did the entire Minnesota House delegation in January. Senator Hoeven, Senator Cramer, and Congressman Armstrong requested an audit in February. Senators Smith, Hoeven and Klobuchar introduced the bipartisan Postal Delivery Accountability Act, which would address USPS’ failure to accurately track when mail routes do not receive deliveries. The legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Angie Craig. You can find full text of the letter here or below. Mr. Louis DeJoyPostmaster GeneralUnited States Postal Service 475 L’Enfant Plaza Southwest Washington, DC 20260 Dear Postmaster General DeJoy, We write in response to the United States Postal Service (USPS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report titled “Minnesota-North Dakota District: Delivery Operations” (24-032-R24). This report contains important findings about postal operations and recommendations to
Following Urging from Klobuchar, Smith, USDA Announces Additional Coronavirus Relief Funding for Livestock and Poultry Producers
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced today that producers in Minnesota and across the country hit hard by the pandemic can apply for federal relief funds before September 17. The two Senators, both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, pressed U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in June to expedite and prioritize relief for farmers, livestock producers, biofuel processors, and timber harvesters and haulers. “The coronavirus pandemic brought unprecedented challenges for agriculture workers and rural communities across Minnesota,” said Klobuchar. “This relief will help ensure our farmers and businesses have the resources they need to keep our supply chain
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Say $4 Million Federal Grant Will Deploy More Electric Buses in Metro Area
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7/22/21]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said that Minnesota’s Metro Transit has been awarded $4,190,839 to add more electric buses to its fleet. This U.S. Department of Transportation grant will help purchase buses that have larger battery capacity, allowing them to complete routes more easily. The senators said that the transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Electric busses will reduce the sector’s carbon footprint and improve air quality. “Investments in clean transportation infrastructure serve as down payments on the long-term economic and environmental well-being of our state and
Collins, Smith Announce $200 Million Now Available to Help Loggers, Timber Haulers Facing COVID-19 Economic Crisis
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that $200 million is now available for logging and log hauling businesses that have been seriously impacted by the pandemic. Eligible members of the logging industry can apply on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) website HERE. The funding was provided through the Loggers Relief Act, which Senators Collins and Smith co-authored last year. They secured $200 million for logger relief in the final COVID-19 relief package that was signed into law in December. Following the bill’s passage, the Senators led efforts to push USDA to expedite the distribution of this
U.S. Senator Tina Smith: Too Many Americans Still Being Charged for COVID Tests that Should Be Free
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7/21/21]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said people in Minnesota and across the country are still being charged up to thousands of dollars for COVID-19 tests that – by law – should be free, and she introduced legislation to help ensure Americans aren’t stuck with surprise bills when they get a test. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is a cosponsor of the bill. As part of a COVID-19 relief package in 2020, Congress enacted Sen. Smith’s measure to require public health programs and private insurers to cover the cost of coronavirus tests. The law also protects the uninsured from being charged. Despite
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