Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Federal Grant to Replace Roof of Public Safety Building Aitkin
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $50,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grant to replace the roof on Aitkin’s Public Safety Building. Aitkin’s Public Safety Building houses the local law enforcement department. “The City of Aitkin’s Public Safety Building needs a new roof so emergency service providers have the facilities they need to continue serving the community,” said Klobuchar. “The federal grant will advance this project.” “Federal investment is quite literally helping our small towns build a roof overhead for essential community services like public safety,” said Smith. “Our local law enforcement officers deserve to be in buildings that are safe and in good condition. This investment to replace the roof of the Aitkin public safety building will improve the city’s infrastructure and help keep Minnesotans safe.” 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. ###
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar Celebrate $92 Million for Minnesota Water Infrastructure Upgrades
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced more than $92 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for Minnesota drinking water and clean water infrastructure upgrades. The funding is part of the more than $50 billion investment in water infrastructure upgrades from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – the largest such investment in American history. Today’s announcement will support essential water infrastructure that protects public health and treasured water bodies across the state. Almost half of this funding will be available as grants or principal forgiveness loans, ensuring funds reach underserved communities most in need of investments in water infrastructure. “Investments in water infrastructure are essential to the health and safety of families across our state,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar. “These resources will update water, storm water, and wastewater systems.” “Minnesotans know the value of clean water—in fact, we were the first state to put statewide water quality standards in place over 50 years ago,” said Sen. Tina Smith. “This is an investment in the health and safety of Minnesota families, including families living in underserved communities who have historically been left out of infrastructure upgrades. I was proud to support the President’s legislation to deliver this funding.” “Clean drinking water and properly treated wastewater are basic human rights, yet too many communities still lack access to this critical resource and public health necessity, said Rep. Ilhan Omar. “This funding will help ensure underserved areas receive crucial improvements through expanded grants and loan forgiveness programs targeting those most in need. I look forward to
Klobuchar, Smith Announce over $5 Million in Funding for Rural Broadband Deployment in Harmony
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced over $5 million in funding provided to Harmony Telephone Company for rural broadband deployment in the Harmony area. The funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s ReConnect program will support high-speed broadband infrastructure projects that will improve connectivity for rural Minnesota households. “Our 21st century economy demands 21st century infrastructure, and that will require investments in rural broadband,” Klobuchar said. “This critical funding will help connect more Minnesotans from Harmony and the surrounding area to high-speed internet. Continued investments in broadband will transform how we do business, provide medical
Smith, Portman Bipartisan Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas and Lands (RURAL) Act to be Signed Into Law
Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the Senate passed the final FY 2020 funding bill that includes their bipartisan Revitalizing Underdeveloped Rural Areas and Lands (RURAL) Act to preserve jobs and encourage infrastructure development by expanding tax-exempt cooperative organizations’ access to government grants and assistance, including rural broadband grants and FEMA disaster relief. This legislation provides certainty for co-ops looking to utilize government resources to deliver critical services to their members, such as broader access to high-speed internet or repairs to the electrical grid. The legislation now heads to the president’s desk for signature. “I’m pleased that
Klobuchar, Smith Secure $180,000 in Funding for Animal Disease Preparedness and Response
WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced that they have secured $180,000 in grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for disease preparedness and response activities in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will receive $133,000 and the University of Minnesota will receive $47,000. “This critical funding will ensure that the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and University of Minnesota will be able to continue their work researching and protecting U.S. animal health,” Klobuchar said. “Animal disease preparedness is an important part of ensuring that Minnesota’s farmers and ranchers can respond quickly to a potential disease outbreak. This
U.S. Senators Klobuchar, Smith Help Introduce Legislation to Protect Community Television
WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/23/20]—This week, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) helped introduce the Protecting Community Television Act, which would ensure that community television operations continue to receive the resources they need to educate and inform viewers in the cities and towns where they operate. Currently, local governments are permitted to require—as part of cable franchise agreements—that cable companies meet demonstrated community needs by providing in-kind contributions that benefit schools, public safety buildings, as well as public, educational, and government (PEG) channels, also known as community television stations. However, last year the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to permit cable
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