Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith, Stauber, and Entire Minnesota Congressional Delegation Introduce Bill Naming Pengilly Post Office in Honor of First Lieutenant Richard A. Koski
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) announced new legislation to rename the Pengilly Post Office after First Lieutenant Richard A. Koski, a Pengilly resident who was killed in action at age 25 during the Vietnam War. First Lieutenant Koski was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star, Silver Star, and First Oak Leaf Cluster for battlefield valor. Pengilly resident Brian Walker, who was saved from drowning when he was a child by First Lieutenant Koski, worked with Klobuchar on the naming effort. Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN-08), along with Representatives Brad Finstad (R-MN-01), Angie Craig (D-MN-02), Dean Phillips (D-MN-03), Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05), Tom Emmer (R-MN-06), and Michelle Fischbach (R-MN-07), introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives. “First Lieutenant Richard A. Koski has long been admired in Pengilly for his heroic actions both before and during his military service,” said Klobuchar. “By naming the Pengilly Post Office in his honor, we are paying tribute to his sacrifice and keeping his memory alive for generations to come.” “Lieutenant Koski was an American hero who we are proud to call Minnesotan,” said Smith. “He is remembered by those who knew him as a man of bravery and decency and has been recognized for his selfless service in the Vietnam War. By naming the Pengilly Post Office after him, we hope this building will serve as a reminder of his service to Minnesota and the United States.” “First Lieutenant Richard A. Koski is an American
Following Efforts from Klobuchar, Smith, and the Entire Minnesota Delegation, FEMA to Issue Additional Disaster Assistance for Individuals Impacted by Recent Flooding
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved the delivery of Individual Assistance for Minnesotans affected by severe storms and flooding across 19 counties: Blue Earth, Cook, Cottonwood, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Itasca, Jackson, Lake, Le Sueur, Mower, Nicollet, Nobles, Rice, Rock, St. Louis, Steele, Waseca, and Watonwan Counties. The Individual Assistance programs provide disaster survivors with access to a range of programs and services to aid in the recovery process, including financial assistance to eligible individuals and households. Damage assessments by federal, state, and local emergency management teams are ongoing, and FEMA may designate more counties and additional forms of assistance as damage is assessed. “The recent flooding inflicted serious damage across our state, and we must continue working together to recover,” said Klobuchar. “FEMA continues to be an active partner in the recovery effort so that our state can receive critical federal disaster relief funds. This latest round of assistance will ensure individual Minnesotans are supported as they rebuild.” “Minnesotans are still struggling with the aftermath of the severe flooding in June, and I appreciate the swift declaration from President Biden following our request for aid,” said Smith. “Minnesota continues to need help, and the federal government is answering. These expanded resources for individuals in more counties in Minnesota will make a huge difference as communities work to rebuild.” In June, Klobuchar and Smith led the entire bipartisan Minnesota congressional delegation in strongly urging President Biden to approve Minnesota’s request,
U.S. Senators Smith, Capito Lead Bipartisan Senate Effort to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions with Carbon Capture Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. [3/25/21]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) will be leading a bipartisan group of senators in introducing legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Their bill would make tax credits that encourage carbon capture projects more available and easier to use. The bipartisan Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Tax Credit Amendments Act is also supported by Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). This legislation would make improvements to ensure that carbon capture utilization and
U.S. Sens. Smith, Young Renew Bipartisan Push to Improve Public Health Preparedness with Coordinated “One Health” Approach
WASHINGTON, D.C. [3/18/21]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) are continuing their bipartisan work to improve public health preparedness by ensuring federal agencies advance a “One Health” approach—the idea that human and animal health are linked, and that they should be studied together—to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks. We know from the current COVID-19 pandemic—with CDC confirmation that the virus originally came from an animal—that it is vital to make sure our nation is prepared for the future. The Advancing Emergency Preparedness Through One Health Act would improve coordination among those studying animal and human health by requiring the
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Presses Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to Uphold Commitment to End Historic USDA Discrimination Against Farmers of Color
WASHINGTON, D.C. [3/17/21]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) continued her push to ensure U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack upholds his commitment to ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ends the historic discriminatory practices that have not only robbed farmers of color across the country of needed services and assistance, but have also cost U.S. taxpayers more than $1.25 billion in past restitution payments. Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said that when she questioned Sec. Vilsack at his confirmation hearing last month about past USDA discrimination, he signaled his strong intention to work both internally at
U.S. Senators Tina Smith & Lisa Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Access to Tele-Mental Health during COVID-19
WASHINGTON, D.C. [3/16/21]—U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced a bipartisan bill to help more Americans access tele-mental health care during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Tele-Mental Health Improvement Act would address gaps in tele-mental health coverage that prevent Americans from receiving care. Sens. Smith and Murkowski said that expanding access to tele-mental health is important to address COVID-19’s negative effect on the mental health of Americans. Last year 45 percent of adults in the United States reported increased stress and worry due to the public health and economic implications of COVID-19. But right now a significant percent of commercial plans do not pay providers the same
English