Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on USPS Inspector General’s Troubling Report on St. Paul and South Metro Mail Service
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement in response to the USPS Inspector General’s report that found glaring issues at the St. Paul Processing and Distribution Center and post offices in Eagan, New Brighton and Apple Valley: “The Postal Service Inspector General’s audit reports on St. Paul and south Metro mail service are alarming and confirm what we’ve been hearing from constituents. Delayed mail and failures to report it, package delivery issues, and systemic understaffing are just the beginning. Minnesotans have been raising the alarm that mail service isn’t as reliable as it needs to be, but the Postal Service continues to act like everything is working as it should. This report confirms the reports of hundreds of Minnesotans that there are deep and systemic issues in the state. In December, I asked the Inspector General to expand the scope of their investigations in Minnesota so we can get to the bottom of these issues, and I am grateful that they will do so in the coming months,” said Senator Smith. Senator Smith has frequently raised the alarm on persistent mail delays and reports of hazardous work conditions for mail carriers, pressing Postmaster Louis DeJoy for answers on how USPS plans to remedy these issues. Most recently, Senator Smith called on the Inspector General to conduct a full audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota District, which the Inspector General’s office announced they will soon begin. The full results of the Inspector General’s audit can be
Klobuchar, Smith Announce New Federal Funding to Increase Access to Biofuels
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced significant federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to install E15 dispensers at fueling stations located in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota to increase the availability of domestic biofuels and give drivers cleaner, more affordable fuel options. Gas stations and distribution facilities in Alexandria, Annandale, Belgrade, Crookston, Hoffman, Moorhead, Paynesville, and Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, will receive funding. The Department is making the awards through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), which was made possible with funding from Klobuchar and Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-IA) Biofuel Infrastructure and Agricultural Product Market Expansion Act, which was included as part of a larger legislative package in 2022. “Domestically produced biofuel strengthens our energy independence, supports farmers, and cuts costs for families,” said Klobuchar. “My bill with Senator Ernst, the Biofuel Infrastructure and Agricultural Product Market Expansion Act, unlocked this funding to help bring affordable biofuels to more local gas stations and help drivers save money.” “Biofuels offer us a clean, renewable, and homegrown pathway to transition away from fossil fuels,” said Smith. “Minnesota is already a leader in biofuels production, and this investment from the Inflation Reduction Act will further spur an industry that America relies on for energy independence, drivers rely on for lower gas prices, and farmers rely on for new streams of income. We’re reducing harmful emissions while creating more economic opportunity in rural areas.”These grants will reduce out-of-pocket costs for transportation fueling and distribution facilities to install and upgrade biofuel-related infrastructure
U.S. Senators Smith & Tillis’ Bill to Extend Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Nears Passage by Senate, House
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/16/2019]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) secured inclusion of their bipartisan bill to extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program for seven years as part of a key government funding package expected to pass Congress this week. Last month, the Senate Banking Committee unanimously passed the legislation. During Committee consideration, Sen. Smith highlighted how the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) makes it possible for Minnesota to host major events, including the 2018 Super Bowl which generated more than $350 million for the state’s economy. The Terrorism Risk Insurance Program was established in response to the scarcity of affordable insurance coverage for terrorism risk in
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Says Thye Blatnik Decision is a Win for Minnesotans in Lake, St. Louis and Cook Counties
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/20/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) heeded her call and will maintain federal payments to three counties in northern Minnesota at current levels, which is welcome news to Lake, St. Louis and Cook Counties. The Counties benefit from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) as a world-renowned tourist destination, but they also forgo property taxes and other potential revenue streams. Congress passed the Thye Blatnik Act over 70 years ago, which directed the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire lands within the future BWCAW and set up a system of annual compensation payments
U.S. Senators Tina Smith and David Perdue Introduce Bipartisan Youth Workforce Readiness Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/20/19]—This week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.)—along with Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)—introduced a bipartisan bill to promote partnerships between afterschool providers and businesses so young people can explore career paths and opportunities that help them land their first jobs and thrive in the workforce. Right now, communities in Minnesota, Georgia, and across America face significant challenges in ensuring youth gain the skills needed to be adequately prepared to enter the workforce. Many young people share concerns about whether they have the skills necessary to secure a job. This lack of
Klobuchar, Smith Seek Answers Following Deadly Public Housing Fire
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson seeking answers after five Minnesotans were killed and four were injured in a tragic fire in a high-rise public housing building that did not have fire sprinkler systems installed on its upper floors. While the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, it is clear that the upper floors of the building, where the fatal fire began, did not have sprinkler systems installed. Unfortunately, the vulnerability of this and other high-rise buildings that lack full sprinkler
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