Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith and Congresswoman Betty McCollum Announce Federal Funding for Energy Efficiency Upgrades in Minnesota
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (Both D-MN) and Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN04) announced federal support to help cities and commercial buildings develop plans to implement energy efficiency and clean energy upgrades across Minnesota. It will also be used to help eligible homeowners install energy efficiency upgrades in their homes, like installing energy efficient furnaces and water heaters or improving insulation and sealing windows, providing them long term cost-savings. The money comes from President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure legislation, which both Senators and the Congresswoman voted for in 2021. “Investing in energy efficiency upgrades and clean energy sources can help lower utility bills and our carbon footprint,” said Klobuchar. “With these federal funds, Minnesota businesses and families can install the equipment they need to retrofit their homes to save money, and communities can get assistance to implement their energy goals.” “The transition to clean energy is happening, the question is whether our country leads or follows. I want us to lead,” said Senator Smith. “The cheapest and cleanest energy is the energy that you don’t ever need to buy. These investments will help Minnesota businesses, communities, and families save money on their utility bills and reduce harmful emissions contributing to climate change.” “I am so pleased that Minnesotans will benefit from the $2,566,630 total investment in our state through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “The City of Saint Paul’s visionary Climate Action and Resilience Plan will be directly supported by these funds to conduct municipal energy audits and further their strategy to decarbonize municipal buildings by 2030. I commend President Biden for this important investment that will help us meet our climate goals
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce USDA Partnership to Expand, Bolster Minnesota’s Food Supply Chain
WASHINGTON [2/7/2024] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced federal funding to strengthen the middle portions of Minnesota’s food supply chain. These funds will help small farms and small food businesses access more customers and help consumers find more locally-grown goods – oftentimes at lower cost. The funding is made possible through the American Rescue Plan, legislation both Klobuchar and Smith supported. “To keep prices low at the grocery store, we need to invest in our food supply chain to make it resilient from disruptions and bottlenecks,” said Klobuchar. “These grants will strengthen the infrastructure needed to bring food from farm to table, support farmers as they expand into new markets, and deliver technical skills training for local food businesses.” “Farmers in Minnesota know firsthand the vulnerabilities of our food supply chain and the importance of making it more resilient in the long term,” said Smith. “This funding will help strengthen our food supply system and also expand opportunity for farmers in Minnesota and around the country by creating new and better markets for their products.” This funding is one of many actions taken under the Biden Administration to expand processing capacity and increase competition in agriculture, making markets more accessible, fair, competitive and resilient for producers. The four-year partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and United States Department of Agriculture will bolster the middle of Minnesota’s food supply chain, meaning more opportunities for producers to sell their goods, better infrastructure for food businesses to operate with, and
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Senate Colleagues Make Bipartisan Effort to Stop Deceptive Meat Labeling
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/20/2019]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is leading a bipartisan Senate effort to stop deceptive labeling practices that hurt bison ranchers and mislead consumers in Minnesota and across the country. This week, Sen. Smith and several Senate colleagues introduced the “Truth in Buffalo Labeling Act” that would allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prohibit water buffalo products from being marketed as “buffalo.” “Minnesota’s bison ranches are an important part of our farming economy,” said Sen. Smith. “Deceptive labeling not only hurts their bottom lines, but also misleads Minnesotans into purchasing and eating food that’s not necessarily what they think it is. This labeling fix will help ranchers and consumers alike.” “Minnesota
U.S. Senators Smith and Cramer Make Bipartisan Push to Hold Big Pharma Accountable, Have Execs Address Congress Directly About Skyrocketing Drug Prices
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/17/2019]—Today U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) urged the U.S. Senate Finance Committee to hold a hearing on their bipartisan bill to address the skyrocketing price of insulin and help people with diabetes access the life-saving medication they need to survive. The two lawmakers said that during the hearing they also hope to have pharmaceutical executives address Congress directly about high drug prices that are hurting many Americans. Approximately 7.5 million Americans with diabetes rely on insulin every day to survive yet the average price of insulin almost doubled between 2012 and 2016—forcing some patients into the dangerous practice
Klobuchar, Smith Urge Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to Expedite Investigation into Recent E-Cigarette Product-Related Deaths and Illnesses
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) urged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite their investigation into the rise of acute lung illnesses and deaths linked to the use of e-cigarette products such as vaporizers. On September 6, Minnesota health officials confirmed that one senior citizen in Minnesota died in August of a lung injury associated with vaping. As of today, the nationwide total of recent vaping-related deaths stands at six. Federal health officials have indicated that e-cigarette products may be responsible for roughly 450 cases of severe
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Funding for Rural Minnesota Communities Affected by Natural Disasters
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced funding for rural Minnesota communities affected by natural disasters. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making $150 million in grants available through the Community Facilities Program to help rural communities continue their recovery from the devastating effects of natural disasters. Examples of essential community facilities include hospitals, nursing homes, courthouses, street improvements, child care centers, police stations, fire departments, libraries, and food banks, among others. “Severe weather has affected towns and businesses across our state,” Klobuchar said. “These grants will help provide the resources necessary to recover. We can’t prevent natural disasters, but we
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