Latest Releases
U.S Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce Funding to Improve Bus Infrastructure in Eden Prairie
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, and Senator Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) announced a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to strengthen bus and transportation infrastructure in Eden Prairie. One hundred and seventeen communities across the country are getting infrastructure upgrades thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, legislation passed by President Biden in 2021 that has delivered infrastructure upgrades to nearly 5,000 communities nationwide. SouthWest Transit, the public transportation agency serving the Western metro area, will receive $520,436 from the Federal Transit Administration to rehabilitate the Southwest Station Park and Ride and bus garage. The project includes accessibility and security improvements for riders, as well as upgrades to the maintenance facilities to improve safety for workers. The project will support secure, accessible, and efficient transit service for travelers. “Each day, transit systems connect Minnesotans to their jobs, schools, grocery stores and countless other opportunities – all while reducing traffic congestion and pollution,” said Senator Smith. “But for many people, especially those in rural areas, safe, reliable public transportation is hard to find. This funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will deliver faster, safer, and more energy efficient transportation to communities across the Western metro area.” “Investments in public transit reduce traffic and make it easier for Minnesotans to get to school, work, and other destinations,” said Klobuchar. “This federal funding will go towards creating the modern, efficient public transit system families in the West Metro need to reliably get around.” ###
U.S Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce Funding to Improve Bus Infrastructure in Southwestern Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, and Senator Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) announced a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to strengthen bus and transportation infrastructure in Southern Minnesota. One hundred and seventeen communities across the country are getting infrastructure upgrades thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, legislation passed by President Biden in 2021 that has delivered infrastructure upgrades to nearly 5,000 communities nationwide. The Minnesota Department of Transportation will receive $2,303,200 to buy propane buses and build the necessary fueling infrastructure in Marshall, Minnesota. The project will improve service, reliability and lower maintenance costs for southwest and south central Minnesota rural transit providers. The grant is distributed by the Federal Transit Administration and is part of the Reducing Transit Emissions in Rural Minnesota (RTERM) program. “Each day, transit systems connect Minnesotans to their jobs, schools, grocery stores and countless other opportunities – all while reducing traffic congestion and pollution,” said Senator Smith. “But for many people, especially those in rural areas, safe, reliable public transportation is hard to find. This funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will deliver faster, safer, and more energy efficient transportation to communities across Southwestern Minnesota.” “Investments in public transit make it easier for families in rural Minnesota to get to school, work, and other destinations,” said Klobuchar. “This federal funding will go towards creating the modern, efficient public transit system families in Southwestern Minnesota need to reliably get around.” ###
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bipartisan Bill to Help Lower Prescription Drug Costs to be Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [4/15/21]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s (D-Minn.) bipartisan legislation to help lower prescription drug costs is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law after passing the House on Wednesday, and passing the Senate in March. The Ensuring Innovation Act, led by Sen. Smith and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), will stop pharmaceutical manufacturers from claiming new innovations when they make insignificant modifications to their products in order to extend their monopolies and keep drug prices high for consumers. Right now, pharmaceutical companies engage in “evergreening,” which allows them to extend their patents for five years when they make minor, insignificant
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Presses U.S. State Department to Address Canadian Border Restrictions Hurting Travel to Minnesota’s Northwest Angle
WASHINGTON, D.C. [4/7/21]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) has repeatedly pressed Canadian officials on issues affecting the Minnesota’s Northwest Angle—which cannot be accessed by land without traveling briefly through Canada—and today, Sen. Smith is urging the U.S. State Department to address new Canadian restrictions that are hurting Minnesotans who own homes and businesses in the Northwest Angle. Currently, due to border restrictions recently enacted by Canada, Angle residents, tourists and business owners are required to present a negative PCR COVID-19 test in order to travel through Canada to the Angle. But with limited PCR testing available in rural areas, Sen. Smith
In Senate Floor Speech, Sen. Tina Smith Reads Powerful Eulogy Delivered by Mother of Sandy Hook Victim; Implores Republicans to Find Humanity to Take Action
WASHINGTON, D.C. [3/24/21]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) took to the Senate floor to read the eulogy delivered by Veronique De La Rosa, mother of Noah Pozner—who died at age 6 at the mass shooting at Sandy Hook—as a reminder of the human toll caused by gun violence. Sen. Smith also implored her Republican colleagues to find their humanity to take action and curb this violence. Sen. Smith believes that Congress must make overdue reforms to protect our communities from gun violence, including banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, closing dangerous loopholes, ensuring universal background checks and funding programs that address the root causes of violence. You can watch Sen. Smith’s floor speech here. “In
U.S. Senators Klobuchar, Smith Announce $100 Million Federal Investment to Build, Improve Electric Infrastructure in Rural Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/25/21]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced a federal rural electric loan package totaling more than $100 million to build and improve electric infrastructure in Minnesota. Minnkota Power Cooperative will receive a $80,560,000 loan to fund improvement projects. Minnkota Power is headquartered in Grand Forks, and provides wholesale electric power to 11 distribution cooperatives serving nearly 137,000 households in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Minnesota Valley Cooperative Light and Power will receive a $22,817,000 loan to connect 132 consumers. This loan will also help expand smart grid technologies and build and improve 137 miles of line. “When we
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