Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Call on Federal Highway Administration to Allow St. Louis County to Use Project Labor Agreements
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) are calling on the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to approve the use of Project Labor Agreements for five projects that have been awarded federal funds to St. Louis County. “We write to request your prompt approval of the use of Project Labor Agreements (PLA) for five projects for which St. Louis County, Minnesota has been awarded federal funds,” wrote the Senators. “These funds will improve the County’s roadways and provide good-paying construction jobs.” “St. Louis County has a longstanding policy that requires PLAs on large road and bridge projects. In August 2025, the County submitted PLAs for these projects to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and is awaiting approval to ensure the projects remain eligible for FHWA funding. The swift approval is crucial to prevent further delays in getting these projects bid and construction started during Minnesota’s weather-constrained construction season,” the Senators continued. The full text of the letter is below and can be found here. Dear Administrator McMaster: We write to request your prompt approval of the use of Project Labor Agreements (PLA) for five projects for which St. Louis County, Minnesota has been awarded federal funds. These funds will improve the County’s roadways and provide good-paying construction jobs. St. Louis County has a longstanding policy that requires PLAs on large road and bridge projects. In August 2025, the County submitted PLAs for these projects to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and is awaiting its
U.S. Senator Smith, Rep. Davids Reintroduce Legislation to Tackle Maternal Mortality Crisis Through Improved Data, Research
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS-03) re-introduced legislation to address America’s worsening maternal mortality crisis through expanding research and improving maternal health care. The Data to Save Moms Act aims to better understand the root causes of the maternal mortality crisis by improving data collection on maternal mortality and morbidity. “It’s not radical to believe that every pregnant woman should be able to get high-quality health care, and that we should focus on areas where we see the biggest disparities in health outcomes,” said Senator Smith. “By funding research on maternal health, this legislation will help to understand the root causes of health complications from pregnancy and labor so we can tackle them head on.” “The U.S. is falling desperately short on the issue of maternal health, and frankly, it is shameful — but we can’t fix a problem we don’t fully understand,” said Davids. “By listening to the physicians and mothers who are on the front lines of this crisis and improving our existing data collection methods, we can take informed action and save lives.” The United States remains the only industrialized country with a rising maternal mortality rate, with the crisis disproportionately impacting communities of color. In Minnesota, Black mothers are dying at more than twice the rate of the state average, and Native Americans are more than twelve times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than the state average. The Data to Save Moms Act critically strengthens Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs), multidisciplinary panels, composed of experts such as obstetricians, forensic pathologists, and community representatives, which operate across the country to review deaths occurring during or within one
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, Representative Pete Stauber Announce Grant to Provide High-Speed Internet in Pine County
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) and Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN08) announced a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide high-speed, reliable internet to 38 businesses and 147 farms in Pine County. Over 1,000 people in socially vulnerable communities will have direct access to the internet with modern fiber optics running right to their front door. “We should be able to bring high-speed internet to every family in Minnesota— regardless of their zip code,” said Klobuchar. “This funding builds on broadband upgrades going on across our state including Pine County. As co-chair
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce Clean Energy Projects for Minnesota Farms, Small Businesses in Rural Areas
[MINNEAPOLIS, MN] – U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced funding awards for 76 farms and small businesses across rural and Greater Minnesota to install clean energy technology. This round of funding for Minnesota totals $7,891,608. This year alone, Minnesota has seen over 250 clean energy projects in small towns and rural communities. The funding is specifically set aside for agricultural producers and rural small businesses to install renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. The projects are possible thanks to the Renewable Energy for America (REAP) program, which Senator
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Funding Secured to Complete MSP Airport’s Concourse G Remodel
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced that the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport received the final funding amount necessary to complete the airport’s improvements to Concourse G. This grant, made possible through the Biden-Harris Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will expand the Terminal 1 building on Concourse G from Gates 8 –13 to include 5 new single use restrooms and 2 new multi-user restrooms, terminal passenger seating, and energy efficient spaces. “Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is among the busiest airports in the country and supports tens of thousands of jobs in our state,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce Funding to Help Beginning, Emerging Farmers Access Farmland
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced funding for Renewing the Countryside’s Upper Midwest Farmland Access Hub Navigator Program to improve farmland access outcomes for all stages of beginning farmers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The Farmland Access Hub, in its seventh year, pairs land-seeking farmers with an advocate who can provide guidance and resources to help farmers on their land access journey and connect them with farmland owners hoping to transfer their land to new owners. They will use the nearly $750,000 in federal funding to expand
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