Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Federal Funding to Improve Taconite’s Water System
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $851,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant and a $1,494,000 loan to make improvements to the City of Taconite’s water system. The funding will advance the construction of a new water storage tank, a water pump house, and a replacement water tower. The project will also install individual water meters for customers and develop a meter-reader system. “To ensure families are getting quality water out of their taps, it’s important to upgrade water infrastructure once the equipment reaches the end of its useful life,” said Klobuchar. “With this federal support, Taconite can rebuild the water system to better serve residents.” “Updating the water system will make a real difference for people living in Taconite,” said Smith. “This loan from the USDA will help to construct a new water storage tank and provide safe, clean water for the city’s residents.” Senators Klobuchar and Smith are members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, which oversees the USDA. This federal funding was secured through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. Program grants can be used by communities across the country to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community in a primarily rural area, such as health care facilities, public safety services, educational services, and more. ###
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Federal Funding to Improve Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water System
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $2,194,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant and a $26,179,000 loan to make improvements to the Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water system that services the counties of Lyon, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Yellow Medicine, and Redwood. This project will construct a new water source and water treatment plant, and make improvements to the current water treatment plant to ensure the growing regional water demand is met. “The Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water System currently serves five counties, and the demand for water is growing,” said Klobuchar. “With these federal resources, Lincoln Pipestone can construct the infrastructure it needs for its expansion plans.” “Safe water and wastewater management are essential to the health of our communities and our environment,” said Smith. “This investment will help five Minnesota counties make improvements to their water infrastructure with the Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water System.” Senators Klobuchar and Smith are members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, which oversees the USDA. This federal funding was secured through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. Program grants can be used by communities across the country to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community in a primarily rural area, such as health care facilities, public safety services, educational services, and more. ###
After Push from Smith, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Outlines Protective Measures to Expand Capacity
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/20/20]—This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) pressed the top Trump Administration Emergency Management official for assurances that hospitals and other health providers facing an overwhelming increase in emergency coronavirus patients will get quick federal funding and reimbursement to help them expand capacity to meet the need. And yesterday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) addressed a number of Sen. Smith’s concerns by outlining how, under the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, FEMA may provide assistance for emergency protective measures including temporary medical facilities and enhanced medical and hospital capacity for treatment when existing facilities cannot accommodate the patient load, or
As Coronavirus Causes Steep Drop in Ethanol Prices, Senators Klobuchar, Smith Push President Trump to Support Renewable Fuel Standard
WASHINGTON D.C. [3/20/20]– As the coronavirus causes ethanol prices to drop to record lows, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) pushed President Trump to support the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Their request, made with a bipartisan group of 14 Senators, comes following news that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may appeal a recent unanimous decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals concerning small refinery exemptions. With the drop in oil prices related to coronavirus and the pandemic’s projected decrease in gasoline consumption, some experts are projecting a steep reduction in corn used for ethanol production of 120 to 170 million bushels, further eroding the price farmers get
With Unprecedented Disruptions From Coronavirus, Klobuchar and Wyden Introduce Bill to Ensure Americans are Still Able to Vote
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee with oversight jurisdiction over federal elections, and Senator Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced legislation that would ensure Americans are still able to vote by expanding early in-person voting and no-excuse absentee vote-by-mail to all states, and allowing voters who did not receive an absentee ballot, to use a printable ballot currently only provided for military and overseas voters. The legislation comes as confusion surrounded whether Ohio’s primary would take place today, and following announcements by Louisiana and Georgia officials that
Minnesota Congressional Delegation Urges the Small Business Administration to Provide Critical Assistance to Minnesota Businesses in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and Representatives Jim Hagedorn (MN-01), Angie Craig (MN-02), Dean Phillips (MN-03), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Collin Peterson (MN-07), and Pete Stauber (MN-08) wrote a letter to Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza calling on the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide assistance in the form of SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for Minnesota businesses following significant economic impacts from the coronavirus (COVD-19) pandemic. “The COVID-19 pandemic has already had a significant impact on small businesses throughout Minnesota—including those in and associated with the hospitality,
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