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 The federal funding will help replace outdated equipment to ensure children have a safe space to play.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 “This investment in Nicollet will replace outdated and aged playground equipment to ensure families and children have a new, safe place to play.”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 This funding will help replace outdated and inoperable cameras, allowing for effective and efficient safety monitoring and providing law enforcement with direct access to footage for future use.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. ###
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Ensure 22,000 Retired Minnesota Workers Don’t Lose Their Pensions
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/24/19]—With more than a million Americans facing massive cuts to their hard-earned pensions—including more than 22,000 Minnesotans—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) continued her push to head off looming pension cuts and shore up the nation’s troubled pension systems. On Wednesday, Sen. Smith and several of her Senate colleagues reintroduced the Butch Lewis Act to help the chronically-underfunded Central States Pension Fund, which covers over 22,000 Minnesotans. The measure would also strengthen many more underfunded multi-employer pension plans across the country. Since coming to the Senate, Sen. Smith has met with many Minnesotans who spent their working years paying into
U.S. Senators Klobuchar, Smith Push to Ensure Married Couples in Minnesota, Across Country Can Avoid Depleting Savings When Caring for Spouse
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/22/19]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) want to permanently ensure that married couples in Minnesota and across the country are able to access home and community-based Medicaid services without having to completely deplete their savings. As the nation’s primary source of coverage for long-term services and supports, Medicaid funds more than 50 percent of long-term care provided nationwide. While many Americans receive this care in institutional settings like nursing homes, in 2014 more than 3 million Americans received this care at home. Three decades ago, Congress established protections—known as spousal impoverishment rules—in cases where a spouse
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig Press Top Administration Officials to Quickly Implement New Effort to Improve Health Care in Rural America
WASHINGTON D.C. [07/19/19]— Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-Minn.) are pushing for the Trump administration to quickly implement a new effort they both support to focus federal health efforts on the unique needs of rural America. Sen. Smith and Rep. Craig, both members of their respective Agriculture Committees, said the 2018 Farm Bill established a “Rural Health Liaison” position within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) charged with coordinating federal health efforts in rural communities across the country. In a letter this week, the two lawmakers pushed both U.S Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, and
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Announce Investments in Local Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/18/19]— U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) investments in Boys and Girls Club of Detroit Lakes. The cities of Eagle Bend and Altura will also receive investments. The Boys and Girls Club grant will allow the organization to increase its services, whereas the Eagle Bend and Altura grants will give additional funding to emergency services. “Critical investments in our rural communities serve as a down payment on the long-term economic well-being of our country,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “These rural development investments will help enhance the safety and quality of life
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