Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Funding to Upgrade, Relocate Duluth International Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith announced she helped secure funding for Duluth International Airport’s Air Traffic Control Tower relocation project. The $10 million in funding will support relocating the non-standard tower currently at the airport, a tower which was commissioned in 1963. The airport coordinates over 67,000 arrivals/departures per year, contributes over $700 million to northern Minnesota’s economy, and supports over 6,000 jobs in the area. “The Duluth International Airport provides critical service to northern Minnesota, from commercial service to cargo, military and medical flights, yet it’s operating with a 70-year-old tower – the third oldest in the nation,” said Senator Smith. “This investment will make DLH safer and more efficient. It’s exactly the kind of project we aimed to support through the President’s infrastructure law.” In 2023, Smith joined the Minnesota delegation in sending a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requesting that they expedite reviews and approvals required for Duluth International Airport (DLH) to apply for grant funding to build a new air traffic control tower. ###
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Expansion of Terminal 2 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-Minn.) announced federal funding for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to expand Terminal 2. The project will add two new gates to the terminal’s north side, Gates H15 and H16. The funding comes from President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure legislation, which Senators Klobuchar and Smith helped pass. “Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is among the busiest airports in the country and supports tens of thousands of jobs,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will enable the airport to continue serving the Twin Cities area, improve the travel experience for passengers, and maintain its position as a top-ranking airport.” “MSP is a critical transportation hub and economic driver for communities across Minnesota,” said Senator Smith. “This investment will make sure MSP remains one of the best airports in the world and has the capacity to meet demand.” The $20,000,000 grant was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Terminals Program, which received a $5 billion boost through the President’s infrastructure legislation. The program funds safe, sustainable and accessible airport terminals, on-airport rail access projects and airport-owned traffic control towers. Several investments have been made in Minnesota’s largest airport since President Biden signed the infrastructure legislation that Klobuchar and Smith helped pass, including five new boarding bridges, new electrical substations for baggage claim, the north security checkpoint, and airport police, as well as new walkways, ramps, and slopes to support passengers with disabilities. The law has also funded a portion of a project to rehabilitate and
Klobuchar, Smith Announce over $13 Million in Rural Development Funding to Improve Water Systems and Wastewater Management in Minnesota
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded grant and loan funding to Minnesota totaling $13,206,000 to improve water systems and wastewater management the cities of Easton, Isle, Dumont, Verndale, and Wood Lake. “These investments in our water infrastructure are an important step forward to replace aging water and sanitary systems in our state and ensure public health,” Klobuchar said. “Investing in the cities of Easton, Isle, Dumont, Verndale, and Wood Lake will continue to benefit our waterways, water infrastructure, environment, and economy for years to come.” “Water systems and wastewater
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Support for Actions to Prioritize Propane Shipments to Alleviate Shortage in Midwest
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced their support for actions by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to prioritize propane shipments to alleviate the ongoing shortage in the Midwest. FERC issued an order accepting a proposal by Enterprise TE Products Pipeline Company LLC, providing emergency transportation service of propane to the Midwest region for a 30-day period. According to a 2017 Minnesota House of Representatives study, more than 200,000 households in Minnesota rely on propane as their main source of heat. “This announcement from FERC is an important step in helping to deliver
Senate Banking Committee Unanimously Passes Sens. Smith & Tillis Bipartisan Legislation to Extend Terrorism Risk Insurance Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. [11/20/2019]—Today, the Senate Banking Committee unanimously passed bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and members of the Senate Banking Committee, that would extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program for seven years. After Committee passage, 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 the wake of the attacks on September 11, 2001. Since then, the program has improved the availability
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Extension of Crop Insurance Premium Flexibility for Farmers
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced that the United Sates Department of Agriculture (USDA) is deferring accrual of interest on 2019 crop year insurance premiums to support farmers affected by recent flooding and extreme weather. Producers will now have until January 31, 2020, to pay their 2019 crop insurance premium without accruing interest. For any premium that is not paid by that date, interest will accrue consistent with the terms of the policy. “Many farmers in Minnesota were unable to get into their fields this fall due
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