Latest Releases
Smith, Klobuchar Demand Answers from Secretary of the Interior Regarding Mass Firing of National Park Employees
WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) sent a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, expressing deep concern about his decision to abruptly fire more than 2,000 employees at the Department of the Interior (DOI). Reporting indicates that these mass layoffs came at the behest of Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” directive to fire probationary federal employees. The Senators highlighted the risks that these mass firings could have on the ability of the National Park Service (NPS) to maintain public safety and demanded transparency about the seemingly random criteria NPS used to determine who was fired. This letter comes on the heels of a Minnesota Star Tribune report that asserted the already short-staffed team at Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota is now facing devastating cuts to staff that could impact Park services for visitors. Further, just hours after the Senators’ letter, Republican Senators voted down a Smith- and Klobuchar-backed measure that would have allowed for the restoration of the terminated National Park Service employees. “Park Rangers keep us safe in some of Minnesota’s most wild and extreme areas, including Voyageurs National Park,” said Sen. Smith. “When your boat gets stranded on a remote lake, it’s the Park Rangers who come to your rescue. Elon Musk just indiscriminately fired Minnesotans who have devoted their careers to maintaining our treasured public lands for future generations and keeping parks open and safe for visitors. Musk doesn’t know the first thing about what Voyageurs National Park
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Kevin Cramer, John Fetterman and Katie Britt Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Domestic Bus Manufacturing
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) led her colleagues Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Fetterman (D-PA) and Katie Britt (R-AL) in reintroducing bipartisan legislation to cut red tape and strengthen the domestic bus manufacturing industry by providing more flexibility for local transit systems when purchasing buses. Current U.S. standards impose outdated, 40-year-old payment practices on our bus manufacturers and purchasers, which result in unnecessarily high costs. Many domestic bus manufacturers have gone bankrupt or left the market, despite high demand for new vehicles. The Bus Rolling Stock Modernization Act would help fix this problem.The legislation allows bus purchasers to make advanced payments up to 20%, which will help manufacturers to keep costs down. “Each day, transit systems connect Minnesotans to their jobs, schools, and countless other opportunities – all while reducing traffic congestion,” said Senator Smith. “This bill makes a commonsense update to current practice by cutting unnecessary red tape and strengthen the domestic bus manufacturing market. This small change will also support U.S. bus manufacturing jobs, get more buses into service, and help Americans get to their work, school, and health care appointments more easily.” “Our legislation cuts unnecessary red tape, allowing bus manufacturers across America to invest in their production capacity,” said Senator Cramer. “This commonsense change provides greater flexibility for North Dakota’s local transit agencies and directly benefits manufacturers like Motor Coach Industries in Pembina.” “Our Alabama manufacturers provide the transit that connects our rural communities and our largest cities. I want to ensure people across our great state continue to have access to high-quality, American-made vehicles that allow them to travel safely and efficiently to work, school, the
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Significant Federal Infrastructure Grant to Improve Highway 169
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $24.7 million federal grant for the US 169 Rural Safety and Mobility Interchange Project in Sherburne County, which will eliminate the signal-controlled intersection at County Road 4 and replace it with a grade-separated, hybrid diamond interchange. The current intersection has crash rates at nearly five times the state average and has been ranked the second most dangerous intersection in central Minnesota. This project will also reduce traffic congestion and accommodate anticipated growth on this important regional highway. In addition, the new interchange will have a multi-use trail
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Cassidy, Cardin, Thune Reintroduce Bill to Remove Barriers to Telemental Health Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), John Thune (R-SD) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) to reintroduce the bipartisan Telemental Health Care Access Act to remove barriers to telemental health services for Medicare beneficiaries. Specifically, the bill removes the requirement that Medicare beneficiaries be seen in person within six months of being treated for mental health services through telehealth. In 2020, Congress permanently expanded access for Medicare patients to be treated virtually for mental health services. Unfortunately, it also included an arbitrary requirement that would require the patient to be seen in-person before they could receive telemental services. The Telemental
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on USPS Inspector General’s Troubling Report on St. Paul and South Metro Mail Service
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement in response to the USPS Inspector General’s report that found glaring issues at the St. Paul Processing and Distribution Center and post offices in Eagan, New Brighton and Apple Valley: “The Postal Service Inspector General’s audit reports on St. Paul and south Metro mail service are alarming and confirm what we’ve been hearing from constituents. Delayed mail and failures to report it, package delivery issues, and systemic understaffing are just the beginning. Minnesotans have been raising the alarm that mail service isn’t as reliable as it needs
Klobuchar, Smith Announce New Federal Funding to Increase Access to Biofuels
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced significant federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to install E15 dispensers at fueling stations located in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota to increase the availability of domestic biofuels and give drivers cleaner, more affordable fuel options. Gas stations and distribution facilities in Alexandria, Annandale, Belgrade, Crookston, Hoffman, Moorhead, Paynesville, and Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, will receive funding. The Department is making the awards through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), which was made possible with funding from Klobuchar and Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-IA) Biofuel Infrastructure
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