Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Funding for Revitalizing I-35 Corridor in West Duluth and Downtown Duluth
[Washington, DC] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced federal funding to develop a comprehensive plan for economic development and community support for Duluth neighborhoods harmed by the construction of I-35 in the 1960s and 70s. The construction of the interstate and the barrier that created in downtown Duluth led to the demolition of hundreds of homes and displacement of over 1,700 people. The funding was awarded thanks to President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, which both Senators supported. “Duluth’s I-35 highway needs critical right-of-way improvements to ensure drivers and pedestrians stay safe,” said Klobuchar. “This federal grant will help Duluth begin the planning phase of connectivity improvements along the interstate.” “Investing in our roads and bridges is critical, but it shouldn’t happen at the expense of vibrant communities,” said Smith. “The neighborhoods in West Duluth and Downtown Duluth were severely disrupted when I-35 was constructed, and I am happy to see federal funding going to address these disruptions.” The $1.8 million in funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot program, the first-ever federal program dedicated to reconnecting communities that were previously cut off from economic opportunities by transportation infrastructure. ###
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Funding for Revitalizing Olson Memorial Highway
[Washington, DC] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced federal funding to restore and revitalize the 6thAvenue North corridor, an area in North Minneapolis that was devastated by the construction of Olson Memorial Highway in the 1940s. The project will include converting the roadway to reconnect the area’s residents and promote new housing and commercial development and modeling the project’s impacts on environmental justice and racial equity. The funding was awarded to Open Streets Minneapolis thanks to President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, which both Senators supported. “The 6th Avenue North corridor in Minneapolis is in need of upgrades to better protect drivers and pedestrians and reconnect residents,” said Klobuchar. “With this funding, Our Streets Minneapolis can begin the revitalization project and lay the groundwork needed to advance these improvements.” “North 6th Avenue was once home to one of Minneapolis’ most diverse immigrant communities,” said Smith. “When Olson Memorial Highway was built, the neighborhood’s deep cultural connections were torn apart in the process. This project is the first step to restoring what redlining and systemic racism stole from the community.” North 6th Avenue was home to a bustling working-class neighborhood and was one of Minneapolis’ most diverse and welcoming areas for immigrants known for its affordable housing. The community began to suffer following federal redlining, which labeled Near North as a poor investment and led to segregation. The construction of Olson Memorial Highway accelerated the neighborhood’s decline. The $1.6 million in funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot program, the
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads 45 Colleagues in Push for More Information, Transparency on Coronavirus Testing Across Country
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/10/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) led a large group of her fellow Senate Democrats—45 members—in calling on Vice President Mike Pence and the Coronavirus Task Force, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to conduct a national inventory of the coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnostic testing supply, publicly release data on testing results, and provide a detailed plan and timeline for addressing future shortages and gaps in the testing supply chain. “Over three weeks after President Trump declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency, we continue to hear from our states and Tribal Nations about the lack of supplies and testing
U.S. Senator Tina Smith to Financial Regulators: Follow the Law, Stop Attempts to Weaken the Community Reinvestment Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/10/20] U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Housing and Banking Committee—joined 42 Senate Democrats in calling on federal financial regulators to rescind a proposed rule that would seriously hurt communities of color getting access to credit. More than 40 years ago, Congress passed the Community Reinvestment Act to address the problem of government-enabled disinvestment in communities of color through redlining; the geographic disparity in branching and the provision of credit; and the resulting lack of credit available in rural and urban areas. The new proposed rule would undermine those protections. “This proposal threatens to undermine more than 40 years of access
Amid Economic Fallout from Pandemic, U.S. Senator Tina Smith Backs $75 Billion Housing Assistance Fund
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/09/20]—In an effort to prevent the coronavirus pandemic from sparking a full-blown housing, eviction, and foreclosure crisis, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Housing and Banking Committee—is backing legislation led by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) that would provide a new $75 billion Housing Assistance Fund to help households struggling to make ends meet. “Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I traveled across our big, diverse state, and saw that virtually every community in Minnesota is experiencing a serious housing shortage. In some communities, it was already a crisis,” said Sen. Smith. “And now, given the
Klobuchar, Smith Announce over $47.5 Million for Housing in Minnesota in Response to Coronavirus
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded Minnesota $47,520,331 in grants to meet the housing needs of Minnesotans impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. These funds, which Congress made available through the CARES Act, will help low-income families and Minnesota’s most vulnerable citizens, including the homeless. These relief funds will be awarded by using existing grant formulas so grantees can quickly help their communities. “As Minnesotans continue to deal with the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, it is more important than ever to ensure that all residents
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