Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Denounce Trump Administration’s Withholding of $20 Million in Head Start Funding for Minnesota Preschools, Early Childhood Education Centers
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) denounced the Trump Administration for withholding nearly $20 million dollars in Head Start funding from Minnesota and vowed to push back against any attempt to shutter the program. Over 10,000 children in Minnesota access early childhood education and preschool with support from Head Start. Head Start programs serve all geographic regions of the state, but predominantly serve children in Greater Minnesota. The funding is being withheld as the Administration moves to close five Head Start regional offices, including the office that serves Minnesota. Reports indicate the Trump Administration hopes to shutter the Head Start program in their upcoming budget. “The Administration is doubling down on threats to eliminate Head Start, which provides more than 10,000 kids in Minnesota with pre-school and child care. After the Administration withheld nearly $20 million in federal funds and closed Head Start regional offices, pre-schools across the country have already been forced to shutter – hurting our children, working parents, and local economies,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We need to invest in our kids, and we will continue to fight back against this effort to take away child care.” “In the hierarchy of terrible ideas, this one is pretty high up there. Whenever I’m travelling the state, whether it be the Northland, Greater Minnesota or the Metro, nowhere do I hear that we have too much funding for early childhood education. In fact, I hear the exact opposite. And withholding Head Start funding only makes the situation worse,” said Senator Smith. “These are 10,000 children and their families that rely on Head Start to care
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Press Trump Administration Not to Close Baudette Agricultural Field Office
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Tina Smith (D-MN) pressed the Trump Administration not to close the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Field Office in Baudette, MN. The Baudette field office serves Lake of the Woods and Koochiching Counties, totaling nearly 5,000 square miles. Should the Baudette office close, the nearest field office would be located one hundred miles away in Bemidji. Bemidji field office staff would be forced to take on service for two additional counties on top of the five they already serve without additional resources or staff. Baudette’s closure comes during one of the worst farm economies in nearly 25 years – exacerbated by recent tariffs. “The local USDA field office also is a place where producers can speak directly and face-to-face with a person that understands what it takes to run a farming operation. For instance, one farmer in Koochiching told us that he drives 70 miles to the Baudette office in order to have an in-person discussion about his on-farm conservation projects. The institutional knowledge of the staff in the Baudetteoffice are vital to farmers as they discuss their conservation projects and apply for USDA programs,” wrote the Senators. “The closest USDA field office to Baudette is 100 miles away in Beltrami County. Closing the Baudette Office will put even more strain on the staff in a region serving five very large counties in North Central Minnesota,” the Senators continued. “Again, we urge you not to close the USDA field office in Baudette.” According to USDA’s website, field offices are “where
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Substance Use Treatment Program in Hubbard and Beltrami Counties
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured $550,000 in funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget to implement the Stratis Health CIRCLE of Care program in Hubbard and Beltrami Counties. The project is a substance use treatment program aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality for those with opioid use disorder (OUD). “The opioid epidemic has been hurting communities across Minnesota for far too long,” said Klobuchar. “With this funding, Stratis Health will have resources to expand proven treatment programs to additional counties to bolster access to treatment for those who are living with
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Infrastructure and Housing Improvement Projects in Red Wing
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured federal funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget for projects benefiting Red Wing. These projects will help support Sorin’s Bluff Reservoir and the Red Wing Hill Street Triplex Project. “These projects will improve critical water infrastructure and housing options for communities in Red Wing,” said Klobuchar. “With this federal funding, these projects will have the resources to move forward.” “Without a safe place to live – including clean drinking water – nothing in your life works,” said Smith. “These investments in Red Wing will directly benefit the
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Mental Health Services in Detroit Lakes
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured $75,000 in funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget to support mental health services in Detroit Lakes. The funding will provide A Place to Belong with resources for outreach and recruitment of persons with mental illness. A Place to Belong is a social club for adults who are diagnosed with a serious mental illness. “We need to make mental health care more accessible, especially in rural communities,” said Klobuchar. “With this funding, A Place to Belong will have additional resources to ensure local residents who are
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Infrastructure Project in Harris
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured $1,574,000 in funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget for a project to extend municipal sewer and water services in Harris. Klobuchar and Smith requested the funding along with U.S. Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN). “The City of Harris has been attracting new businesses, but the water and sewer service lines need to be expanded to accommodate the growing demand,” said Klobuchar. “With the federal funding we secured, Harris will be able to upgrade this important infrastructure.” “Minnesotans deserve to have safe, clean water,” said Smith. “The City of
English