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U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, Minnesota Fire Chiefs Celebrate Passage of the Fire Grants and Safety Act
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) issued the statements below after the Senate passed the Fire Grants and Safety Act, bipartisan legislation to continue providing federal funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant programs. This bill now goes to the President’s desk to be signed into law. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program helps firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources. The SAFER Grants program provides direct funding to fire departments and volunteer firefighter organizations to increase or maintain the number of trained “front line” firefighters and enhance their capacity to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards. Since 2015, fire departments across Minnesota have received over $33 million in SAFER grants and $59 million in AFG grants. “Firefighters put their lives on the line every day to save lives. We need to invest in our local fire departments and ensure that they have the funding they need to hire and train firefighters and purchase life-saving equipment,” said Senator Klobuchar. “That’s why I worked to pass the bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act which will support fire departments in Minnesota and across the country.” “Firefighters do one of the most difficult jobs possible, often at the risk of immense personal injury, to keep our families and loved ones safe. This funding is our way of giving them the support they need to do their jobs as safely and effectively as possible,” said
U.S. SENATOR TINA SMITH’S STATEMENT ON NOMINATION OF CHRISTY GOLDSMITH ROMERO TO CHAIR THE FDIC
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) , a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, applauded President Biden’s decision to nominate Christy Goldsmith Romero to be Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC): “Christy Goldsmith Romero is a widely respected, principled financial regulator with extensive federal experience, and I applaud President Biden’s decision to nominate her as Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). This nomination comes at a pivotal time at the FDIC, and Goldsmith Romero’s track record of holding bad actors accountable at the Troubled Asset Relief Program and advancing consumer interests at the CFTC is exactly the experience needed at the agency charged with protecting Americans’ money. I urge my Senate colleagues to move quickly to advance her nomination so she can begin the important work needed at the FDIC.” ###
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding to Construct 6th Street Bridge in Rochester
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $19.9 million in federal funding, provided through USDOT’s RAISE grant program, to help construct the new 6th Street Bridge in Rochester. This new bridge will help spur economic growth in downtown Rochester by alleviating traffic congestion, improving connectivity, and boosting safety and accessibility. “Investments in our infrastructure serve as down payments on the long-term economic well-being of our state,” said Klobuchar. “This federal funding will enable the long-discussed construction of the 6th Street Bridge, which will strengthen downtown Rochester’s
Senators Klobuchar, Smith and Rep. Craig Announce Applications Set to Open for Internet Expansion Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. [8.9.22] – This week, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, and Representative Angie Craig (all D-MN) announced that the ReConnect Program, aimed at expanding high-speed internet access in rural communities, will begin accepting Round 4 applications on September 6th. The program, which received new funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that Klobuchar, Smith and Craig helped pass earlier this year, will invest more than $1 billion to increase access to high-speed internet in small towns across the nation. “In 2022, we should be able to deliver high-speed internet to every community in our country, regardless
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Celebrates the Passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement celebrating the passage of the historic Inflation Reduction Act of 2022: “This is a historic bill that meets the moment. It fights inflation and reduces the federal deficit. It’s takes on the climate emergency, creates a clean energy future and spurs domestic clean energy production. It lowers prescription drug costs, and makes health care more affordable for millions of families. And, it requires big corporations making a billion or more in profits to finally pay their fair share in taxes. “Make no mistake: This legislation represents the most significant action
Senator Smith Presses Postal Service for Answers on Missing and Delayed Mail in Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. [8.4.22] – This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy seeking answers about missing and delayed mail deliveries in Minnesota. Sen. Smith’s office has received numerous calls from constituents reporting inconsistent and missing mail, and mail delays of over a week have been reported on by KTTC in Rochester. “I am deeply concerned about these reports, as many Minnesotans, especially the elderly, disabled people, veterans, and rural communities, rely on the Postal Service as a lifeline,” wrote Smith in her letter. “The Postal Service is an essential service and as such
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