Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Press Postmaster General Louis DeJoy About Minnesota Mail Delays
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) sent a letter pressing Postmaster General Louis DeJoy for answers on recent mail delays across Minnesota, particularly in the Rochester area. The follow-up comes after both Senators led the entire Minnesota and North Dakota Congressional delegations in a bipartisan letter pressing the Postmaster General to improve service following an Inspector General report. That report found nearly 130,858 missing or delayed pieces of mail at six post offices over the course of only two days. “Letter carriers, especially in rural areas, work extremely hard to make deliveries on time, especially around the holidays. But without support from district management and the Postmaster General in Washington, their jobs go from difficult to nearly impossible,” said Senator Smith. “These new reports only confirm what we’ve already been hearing, which is that USPS leadership is not doing enough to support their workers and deliver mail on time. The Postmaster General needs to take accountability for service issues and do something about it.” “Minnesotans rely on the Postal Service to deliver their prescriptions, Social Security checks, and more, and they need and deserve timely service,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We have heard reports of mail being delayed for four days or more in Rochester. That’s why Sen. Smith and I are calling on Postmaster General Dejoy to address these issues, ensuring that Rochester and the rest of Minnesota’s residents receive reliable service.” You can read the full letter to the Postmaster General here. Senators Smith and Klobuchar requested the audit of the Minnesota-North
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce 130 New Clean Energy Projects for Rural Minnesotans
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) announced nearly 130 new clean energy projects across rural Minnesota. The $15.6 million investment will save farms and rural small businesses nearly $18.4 million on their energy bills per year while simultaneously reducing harmful carbon emissions. A full breakdown of the awards and projected savings can be found below. “The clean energy transition is happening; the question is whether we lead or follow. I want us to lead,” said Senator Smith. “But as we make the switch to cleaner, cheaper energy, we need to make sure everyone benefits, including small towns and rural communities. That’s one reason why projects funded by the Rural Energy for America Program are so important. These investments will help farmers and business owners save money and improve their bottom lines while reducing harmful carbon emissions.” “Investing in long-term energy is a win-win for rural customers and businesses,” said Senator Klobuchar.“With this federal funding, we’re taking a big step toward deploying new energy technologies to power rural communities across Minnesota for decades to come.” This year alone, Minnesota has seen over 380 clean energy projects on farms and in rural communities thanks to the Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP). Senator Smith championed and strengthened REAP in the Inflation Reduction Act, which both Senators supported. The funding is specifically set aside for agricultural producers and rural small businesses to install renewable, clean energy systems, or to make their operations more energy efficient. Example projects include installing energy efficient grain dryers, LED lighting and
Senators Smith, Merkley, Colleagues Sound Alarm on Unlawful Charges for PrEP Patients
Washington, D.C. [9.8.22] – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) led a group of their colleagues in a letter pushing health insurance companies to explain their continued practice of unlawfully charging people for PrEP, a popular drug that’s prescribed to prevent HIV. The Senators’ letter follows a deeply flawed court ruling on Wednesday that further threatens access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) on the basis of religious freedom. As the legal process moves forward, the Senators pressed the health insurance industry to abide by current law to provide medication and ancillary services without charge. “It has been
Senators Klobuchar, Smith Announce Significant Investment in Rochester Travel and Tourism Industry
WASHINGTON, [09/08/2022] – Today, Senators Klobuchar and Smith announced nearly half a million dollars in federal investment that will support the travel and tourism industry in Rochester. Specifically, the investment will support the city of Rochester with building renovations and improvements to the Mayo Civic Center and the Historic Chateau Theatre. The project will support around 300 jobs while boosting the tourism industry and advancing economic resilience in the region. The investment is made possible by the American Rescue Plan, which Klobuchar and Smith helped pass earlier this year. “This funding will create good-paying jobs and make infrastructure improvements to
Sens. Smith, Murphy Introduce Bill to Fine Insurance Companies that Skirt Law to Provide Mental Health Coverage
WASHINGTON [9.8.22] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn) introduced legislation that would allow the Department of Labor to levy fines against insurance companies who don’t provide coverage for mental health issues—as they are required to do by law. This new authority would incentivize compliance and strengthen the protections of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. “We need to treat mental health with the same urgency we treat physical health, and that means making sure everyone has access to the care they need,” said Sen. Smith. “This bill would help make mental health care
Sen. Tina Smith Announces Up to $550 Million in American Rescue Plan Funding for Projects Supporting Underserved Producers, Career Development Opportunities for Next Generation of Agricultural Professionals
WASHINGTON, [9/7/22] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) announced up to $550 million in funding to support projects that enable underserved producers to access land, capital, and markets, and train the next, diverse generation of agricultural professionals. These investments are made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act, which Senator Smith helped pass earlier this year. “Agriculture is the backbone of Minnesota’s diverse economy,” said Sen. Smith. “With food shortages, supply chain snags and a tight labor market around the world, it’s vital we support and grow our farming sector here at home. This funding, which is made possible
English