Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding for Highway Infrastructure Project in Brainerd
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $25 million in federal funding for the Highway 210 Brainerd Multimodal Connectivity Project. Specifically, the grant, provided through USDOT’s Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) program, will allow MnDOT to address critical safety concerns in the historic Brainerd Lakes Area. “As one of the busiest corridors in Crow Wing County, Highway 210 is an important link for local residents and businesses,” said Klobuchar. “These federal dollars will fund essential safety improvements for drivers and pedestrians, while making much-needed upgrades to public utility infrastructure.” “Infrastructure is the backbone of a strong, resilient economy,” said Smith. “Highway 210 helps connect families and businesses across the Brainerd Lakes area and is critical for shipping and commerce in northern Minnesota. Investing in projects like these not only makes our roads safer, but helps support local economies across the state.” Highway 210 through Brainerd is an important corridor for local residents, commuters, tourists, and freight. It has the highest traffic volumes in Crow Wing County and is the only continuous east‐west corridor in Brainerd. The $25 million grant will fund improvements to reduce the risk of fatal and serious injury crashes; create a network of multi-use sidewalks, crosswalks and trails; rehabilitate the Washington Street bridge; and allow the city of Brainerd to make critical improvements to aging public utility and stormwater systems. The MPDG Rural Surface Transportation Grant (Rural) program supports projects that improve and expand our nation’s surface transportation infrastructure in
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Decry Postal Service’s Response to Minnesotans
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) slammed the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) responses to their recent letters as unacceptable. The letters asked the Postmaster General to take immediate steps to address the pressing concerns of Minnesotans. After hearing from Bemidji-area constituents and postal workers, Senators Smith and Klobuchar pressed the Postmaster General about agreements made with Amazon that have overwhelmed the already-stretched postal system in Minnesota and pushed workers into dangerous and unsustainable conditions. Minnesotans rely on the Postal Service to receive prescriptions, paychecks, and other essential needs, and Minnesotans across the state have reported delays in receiving these deliveries. Postal workers, particularly in the Bemidji area, report chaos as they are told to prioritize the deliveries of Amazon packages over regular mail and lack of staffing to meet the Postal Service’s delivery standards. In response to Senators Smith and Klobuchar’s letters, the Postal Service asserted that, “for the most part, all mailpieces and packages, including in Bemidji, are being delivered daily.” Dozens of reports from across Minnesota, including from members of Senator Smith’s staff and their families, contradict that claim. Additionally, postal workers and constituents report mail deliveries going out well into the night – hours after dark – which is dangerous as well as an unreasonable work load. Senators Smith and Klobuchar stand by the reports of Minnesotans. Plus, the Postal Service’s Inspector General has found that USPS’s tracking systems are unreliable and riddled with false data, a problem Sen. Smith and Klobuchar have introduced legislation to fix. “The Postal Service management has asked me to take their word over the words of Minnesotans. I believe Minnesotans,” said Senator Smith. “This week, I have heard from postal workers and their families
Sen. Tina Smith Pushes to Help Minnesotans Cut Costly Student Loan Debt
U.S. Senator Tina Smith has thrown her support behind a proposal to help tens of millions of student loan borrowers in Minnesota and around the country lower their monthly debt burden. The Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act would give Americans with student debt the opportunity to refinance their loans at lower interest rates. Right now, people can refinance other types of debt—e.g. home, car, or business loans—but there’s no national program in place to refinance federal student loans. “The price tag on a college degree is a serious source of anxiety for Minnesota students and families, and often, the
Sen. Tina Smith Fights to Ensure 22,000 Retired Minnesota Workers Can Keep Hard-Earned Pensions
After recently meeting with retirees in Duluth whose hard-earned pensions are at risk of being drastically reduced due to chronic underfunding of the Central States Pension Fund, U.S. Senator Tina Smith is backing up her promise to support legislation that would help protect the pensions of retirees across the country, including 22,000 in Minnesota. The Butch Lewis Act—named for a veteran who was the head of his local union in Ohio and who fought to preserve fellow Teamsters’ pensions—would help shore up the Central States Pension Fund and strengthen the multi-employer pension system for all workers by creating a Pension Rehabilitation
Sen. Tina Smith Condemns Unchecked Dark Money in Politics, Calls for Legislation to Reform & Strengthen Campaign Finance Laws
U.S. Senator Tina Smith called on Congress to strengthen our nation’s campaign finance laws by ending the flood of unchecked, unlimited, and secret corporate money into our elections. Since the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. FEC decision—which opened the door to unlimited corporate spending in politics—more than $600 million has been spent in federal elections without free and open information about where these millions are coming from. In response to the urgent need for campaign finance changes, Sen. Smith is cosponsoring two legislative reforms. The first would overturn Citizens United once and for all, and the second—the DISCLOSE Act—would require super PACs and other
Sen. Tina Smith Spends Weekend Working Hard for Minnesotans
U.S. Senator Tina Smith made stops across the state—which you can read more about here—including the Red River Valley, southern Minnesota, and the metro area to hear from Minnesotans and inform her work in Washington. “I’m so thankful to the Minnesotans I met with this weekend. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me about what matters most to you,” said Sen. Smith. “It is an honor to be able to take your stories back with me to Washington and continue to be a fierce advocate for all of you.” You can view pictures from Sen. Smith’s weekend and read
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