Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Mental Health Services in Detroit Lakes
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured $75,000 in funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget to support mental health services in Detroit Lakes. The funding will provide A Place to Belong with resources for outreach and recruitment of persons with mental illness. A Place to Belong is a social club for adults who are diagnosed with a serious mental illness. “We need to make mental health care more accessible, especially in rural communities,” said Klobuchar. “With this funding, A Place to Belong will have additional resources to ensure local residents who are experiencing a mental illness can get the care they need.” “A Place to Belong helps create a community for people tackling serious mental illness, things like peer support and shared meals,” said Smith. “Everyone should feel like they have a place to belong, and I’m proud to have brought necessary resources to support that work.” Klobuchar and Smith have been actively involved in securing this federal funding for projects benefiting communities across the state through a process called “Congressionally Directed Spending” (CDS). During the CDS process, Klobuchar and Smith have considered project proposals and advocated for funding in close coordination with leaders from across the state. Projects are expected to receive funding over the next several months. ###
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Infrastructure Project in Harris
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured $1,574,000 in funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget for a project to extend municipal sewer and water services in Harris. Klobuchar and Smith requested the funding along with U.S. Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN). “The City of Harris has been attracting new businesses, but the water and sewer service lines need to be expanded to accommodate the growing demand,” said Klobuchar. “With the federal funding we secured, Harris will be able to upgrade this important infrastructure.” “Minnesotans deserve to have safe, clean water,” said Smith. “The City of Harris is no exception, and this investment will update the city’s water and wastewater infrastructure system, directly impacting all of its residents.” Klobuchar and Smith have been actively involved in securing this federal funding for projects benefiting communities across the state through a process called “Congressionally Directed Spending” (CDS). During the CDS process, Klobuchar and Smith have considered project proposals and advocated for funding in close coordination with leaders from across the state. Projects are expected to receive funding over the next several months. ###
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Marco Rubio Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Recognize November as National Lung Cancer Awareness Month
MINNESOTA [11/18/20]— U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate November 2020 as National Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Their resolution promotes the importance of early detection of lung cancer to help save lives. It also recognizes the need for research to improve early diagnosis, screening and treatment. Sens. Smith and Rubio said that lung cancer is unfortunately the leading cause of cancer-related death among men and women in the United States—accounting for more deaths than colon cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. “We need to take every possible step to fight this terrible disease that kills tens of thousands of people in Minnesota
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Legislation to Improve Mental Health Services for Children, Families Passes Senate with Broad Bipartisan Support
For Immediate Release: September 23, 2020 Contact: Katie McElrath katie_mcelrath@smith.senate.gov 202-365-5865 WASHINGTON, D.C. [9/23/20]–U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s (D-Minn.) priorities to make sure the child welfare system supports and connects families to mental health services recently passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support. The Supporting Family Mental Health in CAPTA Act would improve the delivery of mental health services for children and families, connect families with needed support services, support research on effective practices to prevent child abuse and neglect and address disparities in the child welfare system. Sen. Smith says that young people experience mental health conditions about as often as adults—about 1 in 5 struggle with
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Sign Up for Conservation Reserve Program in 2021
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct open sign up periods for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and CRP Grasslands in early 2021. Sign up for general CRP runs from January 4 to February 12, 2021, and signup for CRP Grasslands runs from March 15 to April 23, 2021. Both are competitive programs that provide annual rental payments for land used for conservation purposes. “The coronavirus pandemic has placed incredible stress on our farming communities,” Klobuchar said. “As the backbone of our economy, farmers throughout Minnesota and across
Following Request from Klobuchar, Smith, and Colleagues, Administration Releases Funding for Home Energy Assistance Program
WASHINGTON – Following their letter last month, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the Administration has released $3.36 billion for federal heating assistance funds to help low-income families and seniors on fixed incomes afford to heat their homes this winter. With colder weather approaching and energy costs projected to increase this winter, the senators said that quick action is especially important as the coronavirus pandemic has added financial hardships for millions of households. In the October letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who oversees the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the
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