Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces $1.2 Million in Federal Funding to Support Training, Employment Services to Young People; Increase Apprenticeships in High-Demand Careers in Beltrami and Cass Counties
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced a significant investment in the Bi-County Community Action Programs Inc. (BI-CAP) in Bemidji to empower young workers and strengthen the workforce in the region. Totaling $1,242,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the grant will support training and employment services critical for preparing young people to secure well-paying jobs in high-demand industries. This is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s ongoing effort to expand access to apprenticeship opportunities and prepare young workers for quality jobs and strengthen the nation’s workforce to meet industry demands. The grant was provided by the DOL’s YouthBuild Program and prioritized proposals that align training with local infrastructure projects funded by the Biden-Harris administration’s Investing in America agenda. “Access to education and training is critical for young people to gain the skills needed to fill high-demand, good-paying jobs. By expanding access to pre-apprenticeship programs like YouthBuild, we are ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to their communities,” said Sen. Smith. “This federal funding will boost BI-CAP’s ability to support young people, workers and drive economic growth across Beltrami and Cass Counties.” BI-CAP was established in 1966 as part of the national war on poverty and is one of approximately 1,000 community action programs nationwide that make up the service delivery arm of the federal Office of Community Services. They serve Beltrami and Cass counties with the following programs: early childhood education, housing, weatherization, energy assistance, and youth education/employment services. The $1.2 million grant will support the
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar: New Report Confirms Postal Service Management Failures in Northern Minnesota
BEMIDJI, MN – Following a request from U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-Minn.), the United States Postal Service Inspector General launched an audit and released a comprehensive report on mail delivery issues in Northern Minnesota. The report’s findings underscored the need for serious changes at the Postal Service, including reforms included in the Senators’ bipartisan Postal Delivery Accountability Act. “When the mail is unreliable, it hurts Minnesotans, especially those who rely on the Postal Service to pay bills and receive paychecks and prescriptions. Yet when I ask the Postal Service for information on these disruptions, they insist everything is fine. This report confirmed what I’ve heard from Minnesotans and postal workers across the state for years: the Postal Service management is failing Minnesotans,” said Senator Smith. “This isn’t the end of this story. The Inspector General’s district-wide report will be released soon, and I look forward to getting a full picture so we can hold the Postal Service accountable for real solutions.” “Families in Bemidji and the surrounding communities rely on the Postal Service every day for everything from their prescriptions to paychecks, but I received troubling reports about significant delays and issues with local mail delivery. That is why I called for an investigation and for solutions,” said Senator Klobuchar. “The results of this audit are very concerning and the Postal Service must work to implement the Inspector General’s recommendations to improve operations and provide Northern Minnesota post offices with the resources they need to serve their customers. Minnesotans deserve to have a reliable and responsive Postal Service.” In November 2023, the Bemidji Post Office became the
President Biden Heeds U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Call to Protect Americans from COVID-19 Testing Charges
WASHINGTON, D.C. [1/22/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) says that an executive order signed by President Joe Biden during his first week in office heeds her call to protect Americans from coronavirus (COVID-19) testing charges. The order directs agencies to provide free testing to people who lack health insurance. It also clarifies insurers’ obligation to cover testing. Sen. Smith has been working to make COVID-19 testing free for all Americans since the start of the pandemic. And on January 5, Sen. Smith urged President Biden and Vice President Harris to take executive action to protect patients from out-of-pocket charges for COVID-19 tests, regardless
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Calls on Biden-Harris Administration to Work with Congress to Ensure COVID-19 Vaccines Are Free for All Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. [1/21/21]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) called on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to work with Congress to ensure coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines are free for all Americans. Sen. Smith and the Biden-Harris Administration have a shared commitment to making sure that everyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccine is able to receive one free of charge. In her letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris, Sen. Smith identifies some of the barriers preventing all Americans—particularly the uninsured and adults on Medicaid—from a free COVID-19 vaccine or its administration, and outlines what is needed to address
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Biden Executive Action Extending Humanitarian Protections for Liberians
WASHINGTON, D.C. [1/21/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—who has been working to extend humanitarian protections for Liberians (known as DED) for years—released the following statement after President Joe Biden reinstated DED protections through executive action. “I’ve been working to extend these humanitarian protections because Liberians are our neighbors, our families, and our friends. Many Liberian Minnesotans and Liberian Americans have been living legally in our nation for more than two decades. Minnesota has the largest Liberian community in the nation, many of whom left their war-torn nation as refugees and now are important members of their Minnesota communities,” said Sen. Smith. “They
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Storming of U.S. Capitol
WASHINGTON, D.C. [1/6/21]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) issued the following statement: “Today’s attacks on the U.S. Capitol and federal buildings strike at the core principle of our democracy, that the people decide who represents them. The seditionists were incited by the most destructive and anti-democratic President in our history. For too long, some political leaders, especially the President, have used their power and position to fuel distrust in our elections with no evidence and no purpose other than to advance their own personal political power. It’s despicable and runs counter to our oath of office, to protect the United States from all enemies foreign and
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