UNITED STATES – The curtain has closed on many venues because of the coronavirus pandemic. Democratic Minnesota Senator Klobuchar and Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas introduced the Save Our Stages Act. It would provide six months worth of Small Business Administration grants to independent venues affected by Covid-19 stay-at-home orders. The legislation would fund either 45 percent of operational…
MOORHEAD, Minn. — Minnesota Senator Tina Smith stopped by Junkyard Brewing to talk with local leaders about the effects of COVID-19. This was one stop on a day-long trip around northwest Minnesota. Smith was also in Detroit Lakes, White Earth Reservation and on the MSUM campus. She talked about COVID-19 effects on small businesses, on tribal communities and in rural…
WASHINGTON – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith demands answers after she says the Department of Agriculture is moving funds from a program supporting producers who are veterans and from diverse backgrounds. The Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program aims to reverse disparities for historically underserved communities. It funds outreach and technical assistance programs through community organizations,…
WASHINGTON – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith says funding issues with the Post Office should have been dealt with before this year. The Democrat believes funding the agency is important because she says Minnesotans are not getting their prescriptions sent to them in time. Last week the House approved giving $25 billion to the Post Office. The bill is unlikely to…
WASHINGTON – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith introduces a bill that would make a coronavirus vaccine free once it is available. The Free Covid-19 Treatment Act would provide states the option and financial incentive to expand Medicaid to cover the cost of coronavirus treatment for those without insurance. It would also waive cost-sharing for coronavirus treatment and medically necessary items and services…
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – As Gov. Tim Walz pushes for police reforms, Minnesota’s House is considering DFL-backed criminal justice and police accountability bills. They include things Senate Republicans oppose like giving the Attorney General control over police killing investigations and overhauling the police arbitration process. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka plans the Legislature to adjourn the special session on Friday….
MOORHEAD, Minn. – Former Republican Congressman Jason Lewis, who’s running for Senator Tina Smith’s seat, launched a statewide tour to visit cities all across Minnesota to talk to local business owners about the impact that COVID-19 has had on them. He says governments should not be quarantining everyone, only those who have been affected the most like the elderly and…
FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota Senator John Hoeven secured a major helping hand for farmers. The Republican announces over a quarter of a billion dollars in disaster assistance. The money will go towards assisting sugar beet farmers across the country following a historically bad growing season. The funds are a part of the additional 1.5 billion dollars in disaster assistance…
Sam Cabral WASHINGTON — Closing pay gaps is not usually a bipartisan effort in the capital, but a bipartisan effort in both chambers of Congress could end a major pay disparity between non-active duty and active duty military. Soldiers who perform tasks such as parachute jumps, explosives demolition and toxic fuels handling are eligible for hazardous duty incentive pay. HDIP…
WASHINGTON – Minnesota Senator Tina Smith will host her first meeting of the rural economic working group with a bipartisan group of senators tomorrow. She created the group with Senators Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin to bring local ideas to Washington. The idea is to see how the federal government can…
