Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar and Representative Angie Craig Press Postal Service Again for Answers on Mail Carriers’ Missing Paychecks
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D – MN), and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-MN02) sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy seeking answers about an apparent payroll system error that led to an estimated 2,200 rural letter carriers missing paychecks. The incident is the second major payroll problem for the Postal Service since September. The lawmakers sent a similar letter to Postmaster General DeJoy in September seeking answers when approximately 53,000 postal workers missed or received only partial paychecks, and the Postal Service responded that they had solved the issue that caused the error. “In your response, you assured us that the payroll programming error was ‘corrected’ and ‘rigorously tested,’ but just three months later we must address this again with you. Rural letter carriers provide an essential service to small towns and rural places in Minnesota and around the country. They deliver medicine, bills, Social Security checks and other crucial documents and items. They provide for their own families and deserve timely compensation,” the lawmakers said. In their letter, Senators Smith, Klobuchar, and Representative Craig called for DeJoy to take immediate steps to pay affected workers and ensure this problem is not repeated. Smith, Klobuchar and Craig have long worked to improve the reliability of postal service in Minnesota. All 3 lawmakers have introduced bicameral, bipartisan legislation addressing transparency at the Postal Service. Smith and Klobuchar both sent letters to Postmaster DeJoy regarding the disruptions caused by increased Amazon package delivery and decried Postmaster General DeJoy’s response. In September, they pressed USPS for answers about a payroll error that led to 53,000 rural letter carriers missing or receiving only a partial
Klobuchar, Smith, Emmer, Craig Announce Provision to Maintain C-130 Aircraft Fleet Passes Congress as Part of Bipartisan Defense Bill
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), along with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (D-MN) and Representative Angie Craig (D-MN), announced that a provision to maintain a fleet of 271 C-130 aircraft across the Air Force fleet passed the Senate and House as part of the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. “C-130 aircraft are the backbone of Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing and support the Air Force’s readiness to carry out essential missions,” said Klobuchar. “We need to maintain the full fleet for our servicemembers who demonstrate a steadfast commitment to our nation’s values every single day. That’s why it’s so important that the bipartisan defense bill included our provision to ensure there are at least 271 C-130 aircraft in the Air Force fleet.” “Our C-130s are vital to Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing and the Air Force’s capability to carry out their missions,” said Smith. “I am glad to see them included in our defense policy bill. Ensuring the Department of Defense maintains enough of these aircraft means stability for the men and women of Minnesota’s National Guard as they carry out their duties at home and overseas.” “With the passage of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, we support the mission of the 133rd Airlift Wing and Minnesota National Guard. We have worked with our congressional delegation and the Minnesota National Guard for years to secure the future of the C-130 and are
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
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Priorities Included in Legislation to Protect Children, Support Health Care Workforce
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/12/19]–U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) successfully worked to include her key priorities in legislation passed by the Senate Health Committee today that would make sure the child welfare system supports and connects families to needed mental health services, and help recruit and support health professionals in underserved and rural areas. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) was enacted 45 years ago and governs important child protection programs and services to prevent, assess, and identify child abuse and neglect—and it is the only federal program exclusively dedicated to these aims. Earlier this year, Sen. Smith introduced Supporting Family Mental Health in CAPTA Act to
U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Susan Collins’ Bipartisan Wind Energy Legislation One Step Closer to Becoming Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/12/19]—Today U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) said that their bipartisan wind energy research and development legislation passed out of the Senate Energy Committee. This gets their bill over a major hurdle on its way to becoming law. Senator Smith and Collins’ legislation, the Wind Energy Research and Development Act of 2019, would renew and expand the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Wind Energy and award competitive grants to improve the energy efficiency, reliability and capacity of wind energy generation. “Today’s committee action shows that both sides of the aisle recognize the importance of investing
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Over $22 Million in Funding to Help Minnesota Farmers Cut Energy Costs
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 $22,140,048 to help farmers and rural businesses reduce energy costs through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Grants totaling $1,109,430 have been awarded to 32 Minnesota projects and loans totaling $21,030,618 have been awarded to four Minnesota projects. Minnesota recipients can use REAP grants to install renewable energy systems—like biofuels or power generation from wind, solar, or biomass, for example—and make energy efficiency improvements. Funds can also be used on energy storage projects and energy audits. “Farmers and small businesses in
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