Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Klobuchar, Smith, Announce Significant Federal Funding to Help Minnesota Families and Seniors With Heating Costs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-Minn.), announced over $112 million in federal funding to help families and seniors pay for energy costs this winter. The funding was made possible in part through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which both Klobuchar and Smith helped pass. “As Minnesota prepares for winter, families shouldn’t have to choose between heating their homes or buying other necessities,” said Klobuchar. “This federal funding will help families and seniors across our state pay their energy bills and keep their homes warm.” “As the temperature starts to drop in Minnesota, everyone should be able to heat their homes and stay warm,” said Senator Smith. “For low-income families, high energy prices can force an impossible choice between heating their homes and other essentials like rent, food, or medicine. I’m proud of our work to secure this funding, which will help families in Minnesota afford their heating costs and utility bills in the coming winter months.” The funding is issued through the Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides families with payment assistance to support their home energy needs. LIHEAP can also be used to weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient, and mitigate energy emergencies during disasters and extreme weather. Households can easily identify if they are eligible for assistance by using the LIHEAP Eligibility Tool on energyhelp.us. Those interested in applying for LIHEAP can visit energyhelp.us or call the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) hotline toll-free at: 1-866-674-6327.
Senator Smith, Colleagues Introduce Senate Resolution in Solidarity with UAW Workers on Strike
WASHINGTON, [10.19.23] – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and 31 of their colleagues in the Senate to introduce a resolution in solidarity with 150,000 members of United Auto Workers (UAW) bargaining for a fair contract. Autoworkers voted to go on strike in September– calling for a fair share of the record-breaking profits their labor produces as well as cost-of-living adjustments, an end to two-tier wage system, and restoration of pension benefits. Since then, the strike has expanded to 44 locations across 22 states. It is one of the largest U.S. strikes in the past three decades. “Workers bailed out the Big 3 auto manufacturers during the Great Recession to keep the companies afloat. Now, these companies make billions in profit while workers see stagnant wages,” said Smith. “I stand with the UAW workers in Minnesota and around the country who are striking for a fair contract and call on the automakers to negotiate with them in good faith.” “The fight the UAW is waging has everything to do with the outrageous level of corporate greed and arrogance on the part of senior executives in the automobile industry and their backers on Wall Street,” said Sanders. “At a time when the Big 3 automakers have made $250 billion in profits over the past decade, it is absolutely unacceptable that wages for the average autoworker have gone down by 30 percent in the past 20 years after adjusting for inflation. If these companies could afford
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Pens Op-Ed: “U.S. Should Lead the ‘Clean Energy Revolution’ and Learn from State Innovations”
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/10/19]—This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) penned an op-ed for the Washington Times on the urgent need for the U.S. to lead the world in climate and energy solutions. In her piece, Sen. Smith cites the economic, health, and climate benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency, and highlights how states are already encouraging innovation in this space. “The costs of renewable energy, batteries, carbon capture and storage, and other low-carbon technologies are dropping rapidly,” wrote Sen. Smith. “Countries that choose to lead this clean revolution will gain at the expense of those who lag behind. Our country can lead or we can follow. I,
U.S. Sens. Klobuchar, Smith, & Rep. Peterson Announce $350,000 for Infrastructure Improvements in De Graff
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/10/19]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.), along with Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN 7) lauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) $350,000 rural development grant to help the city of De Graff finish building its first sewer system, originally funded in 2017. Prior to the start of this project, De Graff did not have a sewer system and there were concerns that untreated sewage from septic systems was entering bodies of water throughout the city. “Investing in our water and waste infrastructure is a down payment on the long-term well-being of our communities,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “This investment will benefit the people and
In Senate Hearing, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Presses Treasury Secretary on Economic Impact of Trade War on Minnesota Ag
WASHINGTON, DC [09/10/19]— Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) pressed U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin on the Trump Administration’s trade war that is causing real, long-term economic damage to Minnesota farmers and rural communities. Sen. Smith’s questioning came in response to an interview Mnuchin gave earlier this week. When talking about the Chinese tariff war during a Fox Business interview, he said “it is fair to say it has impacted the Chinese economy. We have not yet seen any impact on the U.S. economy.” “Minnesota farmers and soybean farmers in northwestern Minnesota have seen their sales drop by 75%,” said Sen. Smith in the Senate Banking Committee. “They don’t
U.S. Sens. Klobuchar, Smith Encourage Minnesota Businesses, Nonprofits and Residents with Damage from Flooding to Apply for Disaster Assistance
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/6/19]–U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) are urging Minnesota businesses, nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters hit by severe weather and flooding earlier this year to apply for a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loan for physical damage before the September 30, 2019 deadline. Minnesotans facing damage caused by weather from June 27 through July 7, 2019 in Dodge, Goodhue, Mower, Olmstead, Rice, and Steele counties are eligible to apply. The senators said that businesses and nonprofits may be able to use the loan to repair or replace assets such as damaged real estate, equipment and
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