Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Push Legislation to Pay All Federal Employees, Service Members, and Contractors During Shutdown
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined 24 colleagues to introduce the True Shutdown Fairness Act to pay all federal employees and the contractors supporting their work during the shutdown. The Senators’ legislation, the True Shutdown Fairness Act, would also prevent the Administration’s attempts at mass firings (Reductions in Force or RIFs) while the government is shutdown. The legislation was blocked from passage by Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI). “Our troops and federal workers shouldn’t be used as political pawns in this shutdown fight. They never signed up to have their paychecks used as leverage. They shouldn’t be punished because President Trump refuses to negotiate a deal with Congress to re-open our government and has refused to take any action to prevent massive health care cost increases for Minnesota families,” said Senator Smith. “This is a commonsense, straightforward bill that would take federal workers and troops out of the crosshairs of a shutdown fight without handing over more unchecked power to President Trump and his unelected lackey, Russell Vought.” The Senators’ legislation is endorsed by major labor unions that represent federal employees across the country, including: Background on the True Shutdown Fairness Act: The True Shutdown Fairness Act would immediately restart pay for all excepted and furloughed federal workers, servicemembers, and federal contractors during the current shutdown. The Senators’ legislation also includes a prohibition on Reductions In Force while the federal government is shut down. Federal employees are ensured retroactive pay after a shutdown ends due to the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act – legislation that was signed into law by President Trump in 2019. The legislation is cosponsored
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Urge Trump Administration Restore Minnesota Energy Infrastructure Funding
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) called on the Trump Administration to reverse their politically motivated cancellation of $645 million in funding for Minnesota energy projects. The letter comes after the White House announced it was canceling energy infrastructure awards only in states that did not support President Trump in the presidential election, including Minnesota. “Electricity bills have already jumped nearly 10% since the Trump administration took office. Your decision to cancel federal investment that is meant to upgrade our aging electric grid and help get new power sources connected to meet new demand is only going to punish households with even higher electricity bills in the months and years to come,” wrote Senators Smith and Klobuchar. “At a time when most Minnesotans and Americans are just trying to scrape together enough money to pay their bills and live their lives, this kind of politically motivated attack on our state is just going to make it that much harder for them to pay their utility bills every month. That is not securing American energy dominance, and it will not advance President Trump’s stated commitment to delivering affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people. We ask you to reverse course and reinstate these funds immediately,” the Senators concluded. Some of the Minnesota projects that had their funding canceled include: You can read the full text of the letter here or below. Dear Secretary Wright, We urge you to reverse your announced termination of more than $600 million in
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding for South Broadway Avenue in Rochester
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $2,500,000 for the South Broadway Avenue project planning in Rochester. The grant, provided through USDOT’s RAISE program, will support the study, design, and engineering of a Complete Street and pedestrian and bike overpass along the approximate half-mile corridor on South Broadway Avenue between 4th Street SE and 9th Street SE. “Broadway Avenue is the main north-south access to downtown Rochester and this federal support will improve the safety of this major corridor,” said Klobuchar. “By building an overpass, we will make
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding to Reconstruct Robert Street in St. Paul
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $25,000,000 for the Highway 3/Robert St. project planning in St. Paul. The grant, provided through USDOT’s RAISE program, will reconstruct approximately 1.5 miles of State Highway 3, including upgrading pedestrian crossings, improving sidewalks and trails, managing speed, expanding multimodal options, rehabilitating or replacing 100-year-old retaining walls/bridge, and improving transit access. “Robert Street is a critical route in St. Paul, used by drivers, bikers, and pedestrians,” said Klobuchar. “This federal support will make this highway safer and more efficient for all travelers.”
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding for Rehabilitating the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $11,200,000 for the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. The grant, provided through USDOT’s RAISE program, will rehabilitate this historic bridge, including surface preparation and repainting, lead abatement, replacement of deteriorated sections, miscellaneous structural steel repairs, repairs to spalled and delaminated concrete, and replacement of the bridge sidewalks. It builds on the $1,500,000 in total funding secured for the Aerial Lift Bridge’s pedestrian walkways by Senators Klobuchar and Smith in Fiscal Years 2022, 2023, and 2024. “The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge is a
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Celebrate Historic Investment in State’s Largest Electric Co-Op for Affordable, Clean Energy
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN), celebrated historic funding for clean, reliable and low-cost energy for rural Minnesotans. Connexus Energy will use funding secured by Senators Smith and Klobuchar to produce over 280 megawatts of clean energy through hydro, solar and wind energy that will lower costs for its 146,000 members in rural Minnesota while supporting 400 jobs. With $170 million in funding, these projects will reduce climate pollution by more than 1.1 million tons of harmful, climate-warming emissions each year. Minnesota’s electric cooperatives provide electricity to nearly one-third of the state. Connexus is based in
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