Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Clean Energy Manufacturing Investment in Fridley
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-Minn.) announced Cummins, Inc. received a tax credit allocation of $10,500,000 for investment in electrolyzer manufacturing and testing in Fridley, Minn., for its Accelera by Cummins zero-emissions business. This investment is expected to support more than 260 direct jobs and nearly 2,000 indirect jobs. Electrolyzers separate water into oxygen and hydrogen, and when done using renewable energy, create carbon-free hydrogen that can be stored and used as a clean energy source. The funding comes from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which both Klobuchar and Smith supported. “Minnesota has long been a hub for innovation and advanced manufacturing,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This investment in Cummins’s Fridley plant will create good paying jobs and ensure this critical technology continues to be made in America.” “I always say that when it comes to transitioning to a clean energy economy, we can lead or follow—and I think we should lead,” said Senator Smith. “Through this investment in Fridley, the Biden Administration is creating thousands of good-paying jobs for Minnesotans and ensuring American manufacturing is a leader in the clean energy future. We’re investing in American workers while fighting climate change.” “We are grateful to the Biden Administration and Senators Klobuchar and Smith for their investment in and support for accelerating the U.S. hydrogen economy,” said Alex Savelli, Managing Director of Electrolyzers for Accelera by Cummins. “Government partnership is critical to spur the growing hydrogen industry. This credit allows us to continue building manufacturing capability in Fridley, create desirable green tech and manufacturing jobs, and
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues to Reintroduce Bill to Help Educate Americans about the Effects of Climate Change
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues in introducing legislation that would support a variety of programs nationwide to help Americans better understand what climate change will mean for our everyday lives—things like including information about climate change in school science curricula and public education campaigns. The bill, called the Climate Change Education Act, would establish a Climate Change Education Program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide grants and technical assistance to state and local education agencies, institutions of higher learning, professional associations and academic societies, and youth corps organizations. “Climate change is happening, and we cannot ignore it,” said Senator Smith. “We need to be doing everything we can to combat climate change, and that includes comprehensive education about its impacts. Investing in our future and working against climate change will improve our health, create better jobs, and ensure that people are prepared to succeed in a rapidly changing world.” The Climate Change Education Act would support climate literacy by authorizing $50 million per year between fiscal years 2025 and 2030 for grants and cooperative agreements between NOAA and education entities. In line with the Biden administration’s Justice40 Initiative, the bill stipulates that 40 percent of the funds for higher education institutions and youth corps organizations would be directed to environmental justice communities. The bill was led by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and cosponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Bob
At the Urging of U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Congress Approves $20 Million to Provide Nutrition Services to Native Elders During COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/08/20]— U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee—says that Congress heeded her call to ensure Native elders continue to have nutrition assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) includes $20 million in emergency funding for Native elder nutrition programs. Sen. Smith fought for emergency funding so that Tribal organizations can continue to provide these essential services, which may include meal assembly and delivery, nutrition counseling, nutrition education, farmers market operations, supporting food banks, charitable organizations/food distribution centers, and more. Sen. Smith said that Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior
U.S. Senator Tina Smith to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin: Make Sure Americans Experiencing Homelessness Get Coronavirus Relief Payments
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/07/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is leading a Senate push to ensure the Trump Administration is taking the steps necessary to make certain that people experiencing homelessness in Minnesota and across the country receive coronavirus relief payments. In a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Tuesday, Sen. Smith and 27 of her Senate colleagues—including Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)—urged him to consider the steep barriers people experiencing homelessness will confront when trying to access the direct stimulus payments provided in the recent bipartisan COVID-19 relief package. The senators also pressed Sec. Mnuchin to launch a public awareness campaign to make sure that people
Klobuchar, Smith, Cramer, Welch, Marshall, Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Urging Congressional Leaders to Include Dedicated Broadband Funding for Low-Income Families and Students in Future Coronavirus Relief Packages
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Representatives Peter Welch (D-VT-AL) and Roger Marshall (R-KS-01) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to include dedicated funding to help small broadband providers sustain internet services and upgrades for students and low-income families in any future legislation in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Minnesota Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) also joined the letter. Last week, Klobuchar, Smith, and Cramer introduced the Keeping Critical Connections
Members of Minnesota Congressional Delegation Urge Administration to Approve Minnesota Request for Major Disaster Declaration
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), and Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN-2), Dean Phillips (D-MN-3), Betty McCollum (D-MN-4), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-5), Tom Emmer (R-MN-6), and Pete Stauber (R-MN-8) urged the Administration to approve Minnesota’s request for a major disaster declaration due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. “All of Minnesota’s 87 counties and 11 tribes have been affected by the spread of the pandemic,” the lawmakers wrote. “As of April 5, the State had 935 positive cases and 29 deaths, with those affected ranging in age from 4 months to 104 years old. Minnesota’s health care facilities are
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