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
Klobuchar, Smith, Bipartisan Group of Colleagues Urge Administration to Support Home Energy Assistance Program
WASHINGTON – With colder weather approaching and energy costs projected to increase this winter, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined a bipartisan coalition of 40 senators in urging the quick release of federal heating assistance funds to help low-income families and seniors on fixed incomes afford to heat their homes this winter. The senators said that quick action is especially import and as the coronavirus pandemic has added financial hardships for millions of households. In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who oversees the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), the senators
Legislation Backed by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith to Provide Financial Relief to Health Care Providers Becomes Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [10/22/20]–U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said that legislation they support to provide financial relief to health care providers working on the frontlines of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has become law. The legislation provides flexibility for a Medicare loan program that has supported health care providers during the pandemic. To date, the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments Program has provided approximately $100 billion in payments to health care providers to help alleviate financial stress caused by the pandemic. These upfront payments have been critical to supporting hospitals, nursing facilities, physician practices and other health care providers. However, repayment of these loans was
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Backs Push to Outlaw Discrimination in Our Nation’s Financial Services Industry
For Immediate Release: October 21, 2020 Contact: Katie McElrath katie_mcelrath@smith.senate.gov 202-365-5865 WASHINGTON, D.C. [10/21/20]—Today U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Banking Committee—backed new legislation to outlaw discrimination by banks and other financial institutions. The Fair Access to Financial Services Act, introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) Wednesday, closes a loophole in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While the law outlawed discrimination in certain places of public accommodations, it does not cover banks and other financial institutions. This new legislation would ensure that all people receive equal treatment when trying to access services at financial institutions and hold the institutions accountable when they engage in discriminatory
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce $300k Grant to Develop Recipes Featuring Minnesota Agriculture Products
WASHINGTON, D.C. [10/20/20]–U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said that the Minnesota Department of Education is receiving a $300,000 grant to develop, standardize, prepare and test recipes for School Nutrition Programs that feature local Minnesota agriculture products including beets, greens, squash and carrots. The meals will be created with input from statewide partners including school nutrition professionals. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. Sens. Klobuchar and Smith said that it’s important that students have access to nutritious meals, especially during the pandemic. “It is critical that we provide assistance to schools so that they can provide
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