Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding to Improve Access to Drinking Water in Lafayette
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they have secured $1 million in federal funding through the Fiscal Year 2023 budget to improve access to drinking water in Lafayette. Specifically, these resources will be used to expand the city’s drinking and wastewater services to all residents within the city limits. “By expanding access to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, this project will help boost the health and safety of so many families in Lafayette,” said Klobuchar. “I am proud to have worked with local leaders to secure this funding, and I know that these resources will make a real difference in Lafayette.” “Keeping our water clean and safe is important for safeguarding public health,” said Smith. “Securing this funding for water treatment infrastructure will benefit people living in Lafayette by lowering costs and keeping their water free from contamination. I am proud of the work we did with local leaders to make this project possible.” The project will go towards a new building for a reverse osmosis (RO) system to the City’s water treatment plant process to improve water quality. 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 Significant Federal Funding to Boost Manufacturing and Transportation Workforce in Southern Minnesota
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they have secured more than $1.9 million in federal funding through the Fiscal Year 2023 federal budget to boost the manufacturing and transportation workforce in Southern Minnesota. Specifically, these resources will support Riverland Community College’s Workforce Development Learn and Earn scholarship program. This initiative enables students to participate in manufacturing and transportation programs to prepare them for careers as high-skilled technicians. “Our manufacturing and transportation sectors are key to the economic success of communities across Southern Minnesota. By allowing more people to enroll in Riverland Community College’s job training programs, these resources will provide students with the skills they need to pursue careers in these critical fields,” said Klobuchar. “I’m proud to have worked with local leaders to secure this funding and help more Minnesotans get a fair shot at succeeding in our economy.” “Now more than ever we need educated, skilled workers entering trades in Minnesota,” said Smith. “This investment will provide Riverland Community College with important instruction materials to train future workers and prepare them for high-wage, high-demand fields. This is exactly the type of project the federal government should be a partner in and I’m proud of the work we did with local leaders to make it possible.” “Due to the great support of Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, Riverland Community College is grateful for the Congressionally Directed Spending allocation to launch a $1.97 million Learn and Earn Initiative that engages industry partners with students in
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Calls for Action to Protect Homebuyers from Predatory Lending
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/13/19]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is calling on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)—to improve protections for Minnesotans and Americans purchasing manufactured homes, after hearing from multiple consumer advocates that unwitting home buyers are often steered toward higher-cost loans. Sen. Smith—a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs—and eight of her Senate colleagues highlighted the lack of transparency manufactured homebuyers face when it comes to lending practices in a letter to CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger. The letter was led by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). “Typically, the majority of consumers who have not
Klobuchar Introduces Legislation to Provide Relief to Those Caring for Aging Relatives
WASHINGTON D.C. [05/10/2019] – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) reintroduced the Americans Giving Care to Elders (AGE) Act to provide financial relief to caregivers by creating a tax credit for the costs of caring for an aging relative. The AGE Act would allow families to qualify for a tax credit to help offset expenses—ranging from purchasing assistive technologies and devices, respite care, to making necessary home modifications—of up to $6,000 per year. Klobuchar first introduced the AGE Act in 2015. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). “We know that caregiving can be extremely expensive—especially when family
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Pushes for Prescription Drug Pricing Transparency
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/09/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) helped introduce bipartisan legislation to combat skyrocketing prescription drug prices. The Fair Accountability and Innovative Research (FAIR) Drug Pricing Act would require drug manufacturers to disclose and provide more information about planned drug price increases, including research and development costs. Increased transparency will help provide much-needed context for taxpayers, consumers, and policymakers about the costs and value of medications, and may also incentivize companies to reassess the long-standing practice of relentless drug price increases. The bill was led by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is a cosponsor. I’ve traveled around Minnesota to talk
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján Introduce Legislation to Establish Federal Clean Energy Standard
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/08/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), the U.S. House Assistant Speaker, introduced the Clean Energy Standard of Act of 2019, which would establish a federal Clean Energy Standard (CES), to put our nation on course to achieve net-zero emissions from the electric sector by midcentury to fight climate change. Sen. Smith and Rep. Luján said the science is clear—tackling the climate crisis requires serious and quick action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One of the immediate actions necessary to reduce emissions produced when we generate electricity, and the measures they introduced
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