Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Infrastructure Projects in Stearns County
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured federal funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget for road and wastewater infrastructure projects in Stearns County. The projects include road improvements in the cities of Sartell and Waite Park, and wastewater system upgrades in St. Cloud. Klobuchar and Smith requested the funding along with U.S. Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN). “From critical road improvements to upgrading a sewer system, these projects will bolster important infrastructure in Stearns County and surrounding areas,” said Klobuchar. “We worked with local leaders to secure these resources and move these projects forward.” “Revitalizing our infrastructure is about more than just fixing roadways, bridges and water treatment facilities, it’s about improving people’s lives, which is precisely what these projects will do,” said Smith. “These projects are going to make life easier and safer for Stearns County residents.” Klobuchar and Smith have successfully secured: Klobuchar and Smith have been actively involved in securing this federal funding for projects benefiting communities across the state through a process called “Congressionally Directed Spending” (CDS). During the CDS process, Klobuchar and Smith have considered project proposals and advocated for funding in close coordination with leaders from across the state. Projects are expected to receive funding over the next several months. ###
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Jerry Moran Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Save Rural Hospitals
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced bipartisan legislation to expand a lifeline for rural hospitals facing closure. The Rural Emergency Hospital Improvement Act would remove barriers for Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and rural hospitals to convert to a Rural Emergency Hospital designation under Medicare. These changes would help rural hospitals facing closure to receive federal financial assistance to remain open and serving their communities through emergency stabilizing care and obstetric care, rather than closing and forcing community members to travel further distances for emergency care. In Minnesota, more than one-third of rural health care systems were in the red as of 2019. “Rural hospitals provide health care in areas where it isn’t otherwise easy to access, so when their doors close, communities are left with almost no options, and that’s dangerous. If you’re dealing with a medical emergency or you just went into labor, the last thing on your mind should be whether your local hospital is still open,” said Senator Smith. “This bill is about public safety. It will make sure that if a hospital is in truly dire straits, they can remain open for emergency care – including obstetric care.” “Access to emergency health care saves lives and helps keep rural communities prospering,” said Senator Moran. “Too many rural hospitals in Kansas and across the country are struggling to keep their doors open, and this legislation offers those hospitals a lifeline. The Rural Emergency Hospital designation has already helped save numerous rural hospitals, and expanding access to this successful program is
U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Cory Booker Announce Plan to Build Stronger Public Health Workforce to Keep Fighting Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/14/20]—Today, in an effort to solve America’s impending public health workforce shortage and strengthen its response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced legislation to build a stronger public health infrastructure. Right now, America is facing an alarming public health workforce shortage. Local and state health departments have lost nearly a quarter (23 percent) of their workforce since 2008. Public health departments are also facing a looming retirement crisis, with almost a quarter of health department staff currently eligible for retirement and 55 percent of local public health professionals already over age 45. Experts also estimate that nearly half of the public health workforce is considering leaving their
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, U.S. Representative David Trone Press To Address Social Isolation Among Seniors in Next Coronavirus Package
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/12/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative David Trone (D-Md. 6)—backed by several House and Senate colleagues—are leading a push to ensure the next coronavirus relief package contains provisions to help older adults stay connected and healthy at a time when they are in danger of becoming socially isolated. In a letter sent Tuesday, Sen. Smith, Rep. Trone and 11 Congressional colleagues told House and Senate Leaders that the COVID-19 pandemic is taking a particularly drastic, even fatal toll on older adults. They said that as seniors continue to follow life-saving physical distancing recommendations, they will need resources to allow them to remain safe, socially connected and healthy. “During this pandemic, so
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Presses Dr. Anthony Fauci at Health Committee Hearing For Needed Guidance on Keeping Americans Safe as States Begin to Reopen Economy
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/12/20]—Today, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) that the country has a moral responsibility to protect essential workers and must have tools in place like testing, contact tracing and the ability to quickly respond when coronavirus (COVID-19) infections break out in order for the country to effectively open up its economy. Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Health Committee, pressed Fauci for his best guidance on safely reopening the economy in Minnesota and across the country at a hearing Tuesday that she and most Committee members attended remotely. Sen. Smith asked
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads Bipartisan Senate Push to Support Minnesota Pork Producers Hit Hard By Meat Processing Plant, Restaurant Closures
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/11/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is leading a bipartisan Senate push to help pork producers in Minnesota and across the country after the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shut down meat processing plants and restaurants and dried up billions of dollars in demand for their products. In a letter Monday to House and Senate leaders led by Sen. Smith and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the 14 Senators said the pandemic has idled 40% of meat processing capacity and thrown producers into a crisis requiring them to quickly euthanize hundreds of thousands of animals. “The crisis is immediate. Pork producers send to market over two million pigs each week. If twenty percent of
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