Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar and Representative Angie Craig Press Postal Service Again for Answers on Mail Carriers’ Missing Paychecks
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D – MN), and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-MN02) sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy seeking answers about an apparent payroll system error that led to an estimated 2,200 rural letter carriers missing paychecks. The incident is the second major payroll problem for the Postal Service since September. The lawmakers sent a similar letter to Postmaster General DeJoy in September seeking answers when approximately 53,000 postal workers missed or received only partial paychecks, and the Postal Service responded that they had solved the issue that caused the error. “In your response, you assured us that the payroll programming error was ‘corrected’ and ‘rigorously tested,’ but just three months later we must address this again with you. Rural letter carriers provide an essential service to small towns and rural places in Minnesota and around the country. They deliver medicine, bills, Social Security checks and other crucial documents and items. They provide for their own families and deserve timely compensation,” the lawmakers said. In their letter, Senators Smith, Klobuchar, and Representative Craig called for DeJoy to take immediate steps to pay affected workers and ensure this problem is not repeated. Smith, Klobuchar and Craig have long worked to improve the reliability of postal service in Minnesota. All 3 lawmakers have introduced bicameral, bipartisan legislation addressing transparency at the Postal Service. Smith and Klobuchar both sent letters to Postmaster DeJoy regarding the disruptions caused by increased Amazon package delivery and decried Postmaster General DeJoy’s response. In September, they pressed USPS for answers about a payroll error that led to 53,000 rural letter carriers missing or receiving only a partial
Klobuchar, Smith, Emmer, Craig Announce Provision to Maintain C-130 Aircraft Fleet Passes Congress as Part of Bipartisan Defense Bill
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), along with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (D-MN) and Representative Angie Craig (D-MN), announced that a provision to maintain a fleet of 271 C-130 aircraft across the Air Force fleet passed the Senate and House as part of the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. “C-130 aircraft are the backbone of Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing and support the Air Force’s readiness to carry out essential missions,” said Klobuchar. “We need to maintain the full fleet for our servicemembers who demonstrate a steadfast commitment to our nation’s values every single day. That’s why it’s so important that the bipartisan defense bill included our provision to ensure there are at least 271 C-130 aircraft in the Air Force fleet.” “Our C-130s are vital to Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing and the Air Force’s capability to carry out their missions,” said Smith. “I am glad to see them included in our defense policy bill. Ensuring the Department of Defense maintains enough of these aircraft means stability for the men and women of Minnesota’s National Guard as they carry out their duties at home and overseas.” “With the passage of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, we support the mission of the 133rd Airlift Wing and Minnesota National Guard. We have worked with our congressional delegation and the Minnesota National Guard for years to secure the future of the C-130 and are
U.S. Senator Tina Smith: Too Many Children in Federal Housing Still At Risk of Lead Exposure
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/21/19]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is leading a Senate effort to greatly reduce the risk that children in Minnesota and across the country who live in federally subsidized housing are exposed to lead, which can cause serious health, neurological, and behavioral problem. On Tuesday, Sen. Smith along with several Senate colleagues introduced the “Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act,” to require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to adopt prevention measures and update rules to protect children from lead exposure. “A family should never have to choose between affordable housing and their children’s safety,”
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Students, Families with Access to Important Financial Aid Information
WASHINGTON D.C. [03/27/19] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced bipartisan legislation to empower students and their families with better information about the costs of college from the initial college search and the application process, to when it comes time to accept financial aid. The Net Price Calculator Improvement Act, Understanding the True Cost of College Act and Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act would help college students avoid sticker shock, compare colleges to find the best value and increase the amount of information students receive about federal student loans before they sign up for tens of
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Laud Lewis & Clark Project’s Rural Development Milestone in Southwestern Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/21/2019]—Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statements after Worthington in southwestern Minnesota became the latest city to be connected to clean water through the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System. “The Lewis and Clark pipeline is critical to delivering reliable, clean water to farmers, businesses, and families in Southwestern Minnesota,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “So many people have been working on this project for years and this is an exciting step forward for the community.” “The Lewis & Clark project is essential to supply clean drinking water to rural communities, and it’s a
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Pushes for Service Members to Receive Owed Student Loan Benefits
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/16/2019]—United States Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is pushing to get servicemembers the student loan payments they have been incorrectly denied under existing law. In a letter to Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Sen. Smith expressed her support for a proposed “matching agreement” with the Department of Education which would enable servicemembers to automatically get the refunds they are owed. The letter was led by Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). “The new matching agreement should allow all eligible servicemembers and veterans-including those who were formerly eligible-to automatically receive refunds for any interest amounts that they
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