Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Press Postmaster General Louis DeJoy About Minnesota Mail Delays
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) sent a letter pressing Postmaster General Louis DeJoy for answers on recent mail delays across Minnesota, particularly in the Rochester area. The follow-up comes after both Senators led the entire Minnesota and North Dakota Congressional delegations in a bipartisan letter pressing the Postmaster General to improve service following an Inspector General report. That report found nearly 130,858 missing or delayed pieces of mail at six post offices over the course of only two days. “Letter carriers, especially in rural areas, work extremely hard to make deliveries on time, especially around the holidays. But without support from district management and the Postmaster General in Washington, their jobs go from difficult to nearly impossible,” said Senator Smith. “These new reports only confirm what we’ve already been hearing, which is that USPS leadership is not doing enough to support their workers and deliver mail on time. The Postmaster General needs to take accountability for service issues and do something about it.” “Minnesotans rely on the Postal Service to deliver their prescriptions, Social Security checks, and more, and they need and deserve timely service,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We have heard reports of mail being delayed for four days or more in Rochester. That’s why Sen. Smith and I are calling on Postmaster General Dejoy to address these issues, ensuring that Rochester and the rest of Minnesota’s residents receive reliable service.” You can read the full letter to the Postmaster General here. Senators Smith and Klobuchar requested the audit of the Minnesota-North
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce 130 New Clean Energy Projects for Rural Minnesotans
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) announced nearly 130 new clean energy projects across rural Minnesota. The $15.6 million investment will save farms and rural small businesses nearly $18.4 million on their energy bills per year while simultaneously reducing harmful carbon emissions. A full breakdown of the awards and projected savings can be found below. “The clean energy transition is happening; the question is whether we lead or follow. I want us to lead,” said Senator Smith. “But as we make the switch to cleaner, cheaper energy, we need to make sure everyone benefits, including small towns and rural communities. That’s one reason why projects funded by the Rural Energy for America Program are so important. These investments will help farmers and business owners save money and improve their bottom lines while reducing harmful carbon emissions.” “Investing in long-term energy is a win-win for rural customers and businesses,” said Senator Klobuchar.“With this federal funding, we’re taking a big step toward deploying new energy technologies to power rural communities across Minnesota for decades to come.” This year alone, Minnesota has seen over 380 clean energy projects on farms and in rural communities thanks to the Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP). Senator Smith championed and strengthened REAP in the Inflation Reduction Act, which both Senators supported. The funding is specifically set aside for agricultural producers and rural small businesses to install renewable, clean energy systems, or to make their operations more energy efficient. Example projects include installing energy efficient grain dryers, LED lighting and
Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Help Veterans Get Care for Hearing Loss, Their Most Common Service-Related Health Issue
WASHINGTON [2.1.22] — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced legislation to reduce the red tape many veterans face when trying to get care for hearing loss as a result of their service—something many veterans say is an enormous burden despite being the most common service-connected ailment. Sen. Smith heard about this problem through her office’s veterans’ health care tour, which visited some 10 communities throughout Minnesota to hear what health challenges veterans are facing. “If you’ve served our country and experienced a health related issue because of it, it’s our job to take care of you. That’s the agreement
Banking Committee Member Sen. Tina Smith Says Attacks On Fed Nominees Are Part of Ugly GOP Playbook
WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/31/22]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement in support of President Biden’s Federal Reserve Nominees Sarah Bloom Raskin, Lisa Cook, and Philip Jefferson and called out her Republican colleagues for their ugly partisan attacks: “Sarah Bloom Raskin, Lisa Cook, and Philip Jefferson are highly qualified and dedicated public servants. Their experience, expertise, and perspective are much needed at the Federal Reserve as our nation navigates complicated economic times. “Republicans would have you believe differently, ignoring these nominees’ clear qualifications. They are again using the ugly GOP playbook that undermines women and people of color with partisan attacks
Klobuchar, Smith Urge Farmers to Sign Up for Grazing Loss Assistance Program Before Monday Deadline
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, are reminding Minnesota livestock producers who suffered grazing losses due to drought or wildfire in 2021 to enroll in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Livestock Forage Program (LFP). Applications will be accepted until January 31, 2022. “Last year’s extreme drought and wildfires created enormous challenges for our state’s livestock producers,” said Klobuchar. “The Livestock Forage Program is available to help livestock producers as they continue to recover. I encourage all impacted producers to enroll now before the January 31 deadline.” “Widespread drought
Klobuchar, Smith Urge Farmers to Sign Up for the Conservation Reserve Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/28/22]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (Both D-Minn.), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, are reminding Minnesota agricultural producers and landowners to enroll in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Applications will be accepted from January 31 to March 11 for the General CRP and from April 4 to May 13 for the Grassland CRP. “The Conservation Reserve Program protects critical natural resources and provides economic benefits for our rural communities,” Klobuchar said. “I have worked to increase the number of acres in CRP so farmers and landowners can continue to access the
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