Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Investment for Utility Upgrades in Granite Falls
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced a grant from the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to the city of Granite Falls, Minnesota, for electrical grid upgrades in support of local businesses. This grant will provide an updated utility infrastructure, providing businesses with reliable service during future natural disasters. This EDA investment will be matched with $1.9 million in local funds, is expected to create or retain 275 jobs, and generate $1 million in private investment. “A modernized power grid enables rural communities to keep pace with investment into local businesses,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This federal funding will enable Granite Falls to upgrade its electric utility infrastructure to make it more resilient against future natural disasters.” “Reliable electricity is vital to every thriving community, and Granite Falls is no exception,” said Senator Smith. “This grant will strengthen electricity grid infrastructure in Granite Falls, support local business and improve the lives of the community.” This project is funded under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, which provided EDA with $483 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas that received a major disaster declaration occurring in calendar years 2021 and 2022. ###
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Legislation to End Veteran Homelessness Nationwide
Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chair of the Senate Housing Subcommittee, introduced the Housing for All Veterans Act, legislation that would help bring an effective end to veteran homelessness. Minnesota is on the cusp of ending veteran homelessness, and nationwide levels of homelessness among former service members have been cut in half in the fifteen years since the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs launched the first-ever strategic plan to prevent and end the scourge of veteran homelessness in America. This legislation would help get us the rest of the way there and prevent veteran homelessness going forward. “We promise our veterans that we will take care of them after their service to our nation. But every day that we have veterans struggling to find a safe, affordable place to live, we’re failing them,” said Senator Smith. “Guaranteeing housing for low-income veterans shouldn’t be optional. It should a promise fulfilled for every veteran, to bring them home. We’ve made some great progress in solving veteran homelessness in the last fifteen years – Minnesota especially. But the Housing for All Veterans Act would finish the job and ensure every veteran has a roof over their heads.” “Our country continues to face a crisis of housing affordability,” said Kathryn Monet, CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. “NCHV is thankful for Senator Smith’s leadership to address this crisis head on for veterans facing housing instability. Subsidies are a crucial support and we urge Congress to act upon this bill as a downpayment toward a world where affordable housing is available for all Americans.” “This legislation addresses the root cause of housing affordability, providing our veterans with a long-term, sustainable
U.S. Senator Tina Smith and Rep. Cori Bush Re-Introduce Legislation to Protect Access to Medication Abortion
WASHINGTON [2.2.23] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Cori Bush (D-MO) re-introduced a bill to defend access to medication abortion in states where the right to an abortion still exists. The Protecting Access to Medication Abortion Act would protect current FDA guidelines so that women can always access medication abortion through telehealth and certified pharmacies, including mail-order pharmacies. Of the one in four American women who will have an abortion, over half will use medication abortion. In the 23 years since its approval, evidence has shown that mifepristone can be prescribed to patients without an in-person
Senator Smith, Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Grow Foreign Sales of American Agricultural Products
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) continued her fight to open new international markets for Minnesota farm products by throwing her support behind bipartisan legislation to help farmers, rural cooperatives, and small businesses sell more exports abroad. The Expanding Agricultural Exports Act is estimated to increase agricultural exports by $7.4 billion by doubling funding for the advertising programs of agricultural goods in foreign countries. In addition to Senator Smith, The bipartisan, bicameral legislation was reintroduced by Senator Angus King (I-ME), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA). “I fought for a spot on the Agriculture Committee
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Seeks Answers From Insurance Companies on Mental Health Care “Ghost Networks”
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) led a bipartisan letter to Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, and United Healthcare regarding “ghost networks” that make it difficult for patients to find in-network providers. According to a March 2022 US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, problems include inaccurate or out-of-date information on provider networks. Ghost networks occur when providers are listed as in-network on an insurer’s website but are no longer in-network, accepting new patients, or even in business. The problem of ghost networks is especially prevalent in mental health care and worsened during
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Re-Introduce Bill to Expand Affordable Housing Access for Low-Income Families
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development, joined a group of five Senate colleagues in re-introducing legislation to improve the federal government’s largest rental assistance program. The bipartisan Choice in Affordable Housing Act would make it easier to access Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV), also known as Section 8 vouchers, and attract and retain landlords to the program. As a result, low-income families will have increased housing choices and improved access to high-opportunity neighborhoods. The bill is led by Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and
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