Latest Releases
Senators Klobuchar, Smith Announce New Regional Food Business Center to Support Farmers in Minnesota
WASHINGTON [5.10.23] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced the creation of a new Regional Food Business Center in Minnesota that will help farmers, ranchers, and other food businesses access new markets and navigate federal, state, and local resources. The new center, which will be located in Staples, MN, is made possible by the American Rescue Plan, which Klobuchar and Smith helped pass. “Our farmers are an essential part of the fabric of our state. We need to make sure they have the necessary resources to continue to feed and fuel the world,” said Klobuchar. “The new Regional Food Business Center will provide critical support to help farmers expand their businesses and reach new markets.” “Agriculture is the backbone of Minnesota’s diverse economy and I want to make sure our farmers have every opportunity to sell their products and stay competitive,” said Smith. “This new Regional Food Business Center will provide tailored guidance for farmers while helping them grow their business and access new markets. It will be a great resource made possible by the American Rescue Plan and I encourage Minnesota farmers to take advantage of it.” As part of the American Rescue Plan, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced funding for 12 Regional Food Business Centers, including the North Central location in Staples, MN. The Region Five Development Commission was selected to lead the North Central location, which will serve Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. The Regional Food Business Centers will
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Presses JPMorgan CEO for Answers on Bank’s Ties to Jeffrey Epstein
WASHINGTON [5.10.23] – Today, Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), wrote a letter to JPMorgan Chase’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, demanding answers following recent reports and court filings describing the bank’s financial involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. In her letter, Smith pressed Dimon for the bank’s policies and procedures around identifying and reporting human trafficking after allegations surfaced that JPMorgan ignored obvious signs of Epstein’s illegal activity and maintained its relationship with him against the advice of its own compliance department. “If true, JPMorgan’s decision to turn a blind eye to such egregious misconduct raises serious questions about its role in facilitating Epstein’s abuse, and its willingness or ability to root out and prevent other, less apparent instances of sex trafficking,” wrote Senator Smith According to an April 12 court filing, Epstein was a client at JPMorgan from 1998 to 2013 and maintained upwards of 50 accounts totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. This not only granted him access to exclusive banking and wealth management services, but apparently earned him the bank’s discretion. The filing alleges that in 2006, two years before Epstein was convicted for soliciting a minor for prostitution, a JPMorgan Rapid Response Team flagged internally that Epstein was making cash withdrawals ranging from $40,000 to $80,000 several times per month. By that year, the bank was reportedly aware that Epstein paid cash to have underage girls and young women trafficked to his home. This apparently became an open secret among senior executives, even devolving into a topic of jest. Still, the
Sen. Tina Smith: Bipartisan Bill to Help Patients in Minnesota, Across the Country Pay Lower Prices for Prescription Drugs One Step Closer to Becoming Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/26/18]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said today that a measure she helped push through the Senate—which would help patients in Minnesota and across the country pay less for their prescription drugs—has also passed the House, clearing the way for the President to sign it into law. Sen. Smith said The Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act prohibits “gag clauses” that prevent pharmacists from telling customers that they could save money by paying cash rather than using their insurance. It passed the Senate earlier this month. “Medication is expensive enough as it is, there is no reason that drug industry
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Outlines Bipartisan Steps Administration Can Take to Help Farmers in Minnesota, Across the Country
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/26/18]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, pressed the President and other top Trump Administration farm and trade officials to quickly take several meaningful steps to address the growing economic unease being felt by farmers and ranchers in Minnesota and across the country. In a letter sent Wednesday, Sen. Smith outlined several immediate steps the President and top Administration farm and trade officials could take to open markets for farm products and provide relief to farmers hit hard by trade uncertainties and falling farm prices. “During my recent conversations with Minnesota farmers, I
After Months-Long Tour of State, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Improve Access to Child Care in Minnesota, Nationwide
WASHINGTON, D.C. [10/01/18]—After hearing from families, business, and community leaders across Minnesota throughout this year, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) has introduced legislation to address the growing child care shortage across the state. Sen. Smith said the shortage is not only hurting Minnesota working families who often must travel many miles to find child care, but it’s also stifled local businesses’ ability to attract workers, and it’s cut short many communities’ efforts to grow and prosper. Her legislation, the Child Care Supply Improvement Act, would provide assistance for child care facilities, support child care providers in areas related to safety and
Senator Tina Smith Helps Bipartisan Conservation Bill Move Forward
WASHINGTON, D.C. [10/02/18]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said that a bipartisan measure that she helped push through the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today will invest in protecting and enhancing important Minnesota land and water resources. The bill, which Sen. Smith cosponsored, would permanently authorize and fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which has invested millions of dollars in Minnesota in the past several decades. The bill is now expected to move to the full Senate. You can watch a video from today’s hearing of Sen. Smith highlighting the importance of the LWCF to Minnesota here. “In Minnesota,
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