Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce Clean Energy Projects for Minnesota Farms, Small Businesses in Rural Areas
[MINNEAPOLIS, MN] – U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced funding awards for 10 farms and small businesses across rural and Greater Minnesota to install clean energy technology. This round of funding for Minnesota totals $1.3 million. This year alone, Minnesota has seen over 170 clean energy projects in small towns and rural places thanks to the Rural Energy for America Program. “The clean energy transition is happening; the question is whether we lead or follow. I want us to lead,” said Senator Smith. “But as we make the switch to cleaner, cheaper energy, we need to make sure everyone benefits. That’s one reason programs like REAP, which helps rural communities install renewable energy systems, are so important. These investments will save farms and small businesses across Minnesota thousands of dollars a year in energy costs while helping reduce harmful emissions.” “Investing in long-term energy is a win-win for rural customers and businesses,” said Senator Klobuchar. “With this federal funding, we’re taking a big step toward deploying new energy technologies to power rural communities across Minnesota for decades to come.” Projects included can be found in the table below. The funding is specifically set aside for agricultural producers and rural small businesses to install renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. The projects are possible thanks to the Renewable Energy for America (REAP) program, which Senator Smith championed and strengthened in the Inflation Reduction Act, which both Senators supported. Senator Smith continues to prioritize
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Tribal Leaders Announce Tribal Public Safety Projects
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, announced funding for seven public safety initiatives for four Minnesota Tribes. The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Red Lake Band of Chippewa, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and White Earth Nation received federal funding ranging between $450,000 and $900,000 for various Tribal programs aimed at increasing Tribal capacity to respond to violent crime, opioid abuse, and assist victims. Projects will be tailored to each Tribe’s unique needs, from expanding Tribal Courts’ capacities for home visits and supervision, to hiring staff to investigate child abuse and neglect cases, to onboarding personnel who coordinate resources to help those dealing with opioid addiction. Tribal leadership in Minnesota have long advocated for greater federal assistance for Tribal public safety efforts to respond to the opioid epidemic and violent crime. “Tribal leaders have been consistently clear that they need more support from the federal government to combat the opioid epidemic and prosecute crimes on their lands, and we have a trust responsibility to assist Tribal governments to keep their people safe,” said Senator Tina Smith. “Tribes know best how to reduce crime and substance abuse on their lands. These grants are directly supporting Tribally-driven solutions to these challenges.” “This grant is crucial in enhancing our ability to respond to the opioid epidemic. By bringing on additional staff, we will improve our efforts to connect those affected by addiction with the resources they need for recovery. Our goal is to reduce
U.S. Senators Smith and Cassidy’s Bipartisan Amendment to Address Global COVID-19 Vaccine Access Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/03/22]— U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.)’s bipartisan amendment to improve global vaccine access was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act last week. The bipartisan amendment will analyze the United States government’s capabilities to retrieve soon to expire COVID-19 vaccine doses and send them to countries abroad. These efforts will help to address supply chain barriers to efficient global vaccine distribution and provide another opportunity for the United States to be a leader in building global capacity to distribute COVID-19 vaccines. The amendment is also co-sponsored in the Senate
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Minnesota as Recipient of Nation’s First FEMA Resiliency Program Grant
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded the Minnesota Department of Public Safety the nation’s first Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program grant. This $171,000 award will update hazard mitigation plans for Jackson, Kittson, Marshall, Pope, and Red Lake Counties. “We can’t control natural disasters, but we can ensure our state has the resources to prepare for and mitigate damages,” Klobuchar said. “This federal funding will help Minnesotans plan ahead for extreme weather to protect their communities. I’m glad FEMA’s
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Push HHS to Help Protect Families This Winter During Energy Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/23/21]—With home heating costs set to rise by 30 percent this winter, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-Minn.) are pressing top federal officials to ensure that hard-hit families in Minnesota and across the country continue to have access to adequate home heating assistance. On Wednesday, the lawmakers joined a bicameral letter urging U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to address the ongoing energy crisis and its impact on families served by the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The lawmakers pointed out that the expected winter spike in home heating costs
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce New Support for Health Care Providers Impacted by COVID-19
WASHINGTON, [12.23.21] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-Minnesota) announced new relief for Minnesota health care providers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Combined, the programs will commit over $340 million in much-needed relief. Nearly $200 million of those funds will be dedicated to rural providers who have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic. These funds are available through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, which both Senators Klobuchar and Smith helped pass. “Ensuring Minnesota’s health care providers have the resources they need to care for our communities is crucial to the success and
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