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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 Current U.S. standards impose outdated, 40-year-old payment practices on our bus manufacturers and purchasers, which result in unnecessarily high costs.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
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Reintroduce Bill to Secure Critical Federal Funding for Northeastern Minnesota Counties
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) reintroduced their bill to provide critical federal funding for northeastern Minnesota counties hosting federal wilderness lands. Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties benefit from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) as a world-renowned tourist destination, but they also forgo property taxes and other potential revenue streams. The bill would restore fairness to the longstanding Thye-Blatnik payment system and prevent massive cuts in county revenue now or in the future. “For decades, Thye-Blatnik payments have provided critical funding to northern Minnesota counties that host federal wilderness lands. This bill is necessary to prevent them from facing serious financial hardship,” said Senator Smith. “By setting a permanent floor for these payments, my bill ensures these counties have the resources they need for infrastructure, public safety, and other essential services for decades to come.” “Thye-Blatnik payments support law enforcement, firefighters, infrastructure improvements, and search-and-rescue operations within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness,” said Senator Klobuchar. “These services benefit not only the Minnesotans who live in the area, but also the visitors who travel there from around the state and nation to spend time in the federal forest and wilderness areas.” Congress passed the Thye-Blatnik Act over 70 years ago, which directed the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire lands within the future BWCAW and set up a system of annual compensation payments to the host counties. These funds go towards essential services like roadway infrastructure and public safety, and help the counties accurately plan their budgets. The most
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Significant Federal Funding to Combat Extreme Heat, Create More Green Spaces in Minnesota
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) announced over $33 million in federal funding to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to nature in cities, towns, and suburbs throughout Minnesota. The funding is made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, which Smith helped pass. “As climate change fuels record-breaking heat waves across the country, we need to be doing more to increase tree cover and improve access to nature,” said Smith. “Extreme heat strains our energy systems and has negative effects on public health and overall well-being. These investments, made possible by the
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Mike Rounds Announce More Bipartisan Support for Legislation to Modernize and Reform Rural Housing Programs
Washington [9.19.23] – This week, Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) announced growing support for their bipartisan legislation to improve federal rural housing programs, cut red tape, and strengthen the supply of affordable housing. Their updated bill would represent the most significant Rural Housing Service reforms years, and has the support of a large bipartisan group of senators including eight members of the Banking Committee. New cosponsors include Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Jon Tester (D-MT), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Steve Daines (R-MT), and John Fetterman (D-PA). “Without a safe, affordable place to live, nothing else
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Applauds Senate Passage of Her Bipartisan Bill to Help Small Businesses Access Capital, Create Jobs in Rural America
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) applauded the Senate’s passage of her bipartisan Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act. The legislation, which is co-led by Senator John Kennedy (R-LA), would help eliminate hurdles small businesses in rural areas disproportionately face when they try to access capital. “Access to capital is essential to the economic health and growth of rural communities in Minnesota and across the country,” said Sen. Smith. “Rural small businesses often face disproportionate obstacles when trying to secure capital to develop and grow their businesses. This legislation would help rural small businesses overcome these
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Legislation to Tackle Drug Shortages, Improve Public Health Preparedness Advances Through Key Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. [8.4.23] –U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that two of her legislative priorities, aimed at addressing drug shortages and improving public health preparedness, took a major step forward. “Drug shortages are hurting patients, pharmacists, and physicians across the country,” said Senator Smith. “I have heard directly from Minnesotans who are facing shortages of ADHD medications like Adderall, cancer-fighting drugs for chemotherapy, among other things. These drug shortages can be life-threatening, and I’ve made it a priority to tackle this problem. In addition, I’m focused on ensuring we are prepared for future public health threats. My bipartisan legislation will
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