Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Federal Grant for New School Equipment for Nicollet Independent School District
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $32,300 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant to purchase school equipment for the Nicollet Independent School District. Nicollet Public Schools is a K-12 public school district that also owns and operates an Early Childhood center, which has old playground equipment. The federal funding will help replace outdated equipment to ensure children have a safe space to play. “Kids need up-to-date playground equipment to play safely,” said Klobuchar. “With this federal funding, Nicollet Public Schools will be able to make needed replacements at the Early Childhood center playground so kids can keep having fun.” “Everyone should have access to outdoor spaces and recreational opportunities,” said Smith. “This investment in Nicollet will replace outdated and aged playground equipment to ensure families and children have a new, safe place to play.” Senators Klobuchar and Smith are members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, which oversees the USDA. This federal funding was secured through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. Program grants can be used by communities across the country to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community in a primarily rural area, such as health care facilities, public safety services, educational services, and more. ###
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Federal Grant to Purchase Public Safety Security Equipment in Mahnomen
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $50,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant to purchase public safety security cameras and related equipment for the city of Mahnomen. This funding will help replace outdated and inoperable cameras, allowing for effective and efficient safety monitoring and providing law enforcement with direct access to footage for future use. “Investing in public safety equipment is crucial to keeping our communities safe,” said Klobuchar. “This federal grant will upgrade the City of Mahnoman’s security camera system and provide law enforcement with the tools they need to do their job.” “Improving public safety infrastructure is critical to ensuring the safety of our communities,” said Smith. “This project will replace public safety and security cameras in Mahnomen to effectively monitor public safety, directly benefitting the community.” Senators Klobuchar and Smith are members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, which oversees the USDA. This federal funding was secured through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. Program grants can be used by communities across the country to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community in a primarily rural area, such as health care facilities, public safety services, educational services, and more. ###
After Push from Smith, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Outlines Protective Measures to Expand Capacity
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/20/20]—This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) pressed the top Trump Administration Emergency Management official for assurances that hospitals and other health providers facing an overwhelming increase in emergency coronavirus patients will get quick federal funding and reimbursement to help them expand capacity to meet the need. And yesterday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) addressed a number of Sen. Smith’s concerns by outlining how, under the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, FEMA may provide assistance for emergency protective measures including temporary medical facilities and enhanced medical and hospital capacity for treatment when existing facilities cannot accommodate the patient load, or
As Coronavirus Causes Steep Drop in Ethanol Prices, Senators Klobuchar, Smith Push President Trump to Support Renewable Fuel Standard
WASHINGTON D.C. [3/20/20]– As the coronavirus causes ethanol prices to drop to record lows, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) pushed President Trump to support the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Their request, made with a bipartisan group of 14 Senators, comes following news that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may appeal a recent unanimous decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals concerning small refinery exemptions. With the drop in oil prices related to coronavirus and the pandemic’s projected decrease in gasoline consumption, some experts are projecting a steep reduction in corn used for ethanol production of 120 to 170 million bushels, further eroding the price farmers get
With Unprecedented Disruptions From Coronavirus, Klobuchar and Wyden Introduce Bill to Ensure Americans are Still Able to Vote
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with oversight jurisdiction over federal elections, and Senator Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced legislation that would ensure Americans are still able to vote by expanding early in-person voting and no-excuse absentee vote-by-mail to all states, and allowing voters who did not receive an absentee ballot, to use a printable ballot currently only provided for military and overseas voters. The legislation comes as confusion surrounded whether Ohio’s primary would take place today, and following announcements by Louisiana and Georgia officials that
Minnesota Congressional Delegation Urges the Small Business Administration to Provide Critical Assistance to Minnesota Businesses in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and Representatives Jim Hagedorn (MN-01), Angie Craig (MN-02), Dean Phillips (MN-03), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Collin Peterson (MN-07), and Pete Stauber (MN-08) wrote a letter to Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza calling on the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide assistance in the form of SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for Minnesota businesses following significant economic impacts from the coronavirus (COVD-19) pandemic. “The COVID-19 pandemic has already had a significant impact on small businesses throughout Minnesota—including those in and associated with the hospitality,
English