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
Senators Smith, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Bills to Help Students Navigate College Costs
WASHINGTON [2.27.23] – Today, Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reintroduced three bipartisan bills to help students and families make informed decisions about borrowing for college. The bills ensure that students get the full picture when choosing a college and taking out loans. From the initial college search, to the acceptance of financial aid, to counseling once in college, the bills would help college students avoid sticker shock, find the best college for their budget and avoid taking out ill-advised and oversized loans. In December 2022, the Government Accountability Office issued an alarming report, finding that colleges are misleading
U.S. Senators Smith, Murkowski, Hassan Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Mental Health Care Workforce
WASHINGTON [2.23.23] – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to strengthen the mental health workforce in the face of shortages. The Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act would repay up to $250,000 in eligible student loan repayment for mental health professionals who work in mental health professional shortage areas. Sen. Smith has shared her own mental health journey from the Senate floor—and again in an op-ed last week in the wake of news that Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) was seeking treatment for depression —in hopes of breaking
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Pushes Attorney General Garland to Quickly Appeal Likely Verdict in Key Medication Abortion Case
WASHINGTON [2/22/2023] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland in anticipation of a U.S. District Court ruling that would prevent essential, lifesaving reproductive health care for millions of women. In her letter, Smith urges Attorney General Garland and the Department of Justice to quickly appeal the case should the decision undermine access to medication abortion in any way. The case, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine et al v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration et al, challenges the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) authority to approve mifepristone, a safe and effective abortion medication. This
U.S. Senators Klobuchar, Smith Announce Funding Available for Climate-Smart Agriculture Programs
WASHINGTON [2.22.23] – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced new funding is available for voluntary, incentive-based climate-smart agricultural and conservation programs. The funding is made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, which Klobuchar and Smith helped pass last year. “Our farmers should have the tools and resources they need to conserve and improve soil, strengthen water quality, and preserve wildlife habitat,” said Klobuchar. “By providing Minnesota farmers with better access to critical, voluntary conservation programs, these investments will boost productivity and increase economic opportunities for our agricultural communities while protecting the environment.” “Climate friendly farming and
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