AMY KLOBUCHAR

Minn. political leaders emphasize democracy, bipartisan support for veterans

Regina Medina / MPR News — Mon, 26 May 2025 21:37:11 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota leaders and the public honored veterans Monday, May 26, at the Memorial Day Program at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar paid tribute to Minnesota veterans, including Master Sgt. Max Beilke, reportedly the last combat soldier to board the last plane out of Vietnam. He was later killed inside the Pentagon on Sept. 11.

“We remember the courage of those who made the ultimate sacrifice and the heroic strength of their loved ones,” Klobuchar said. “So let’s carry their stories in how we live our lives, how we care for our veterans and how we uphold the values they gave their lives to defend.”

Beilke, a Minnesota native and graduate of Alexandria High ��, served in Korea and Vietnam.

As the 34th Infantry Division “Red Bull” Band played Monday, members of the public dressed in red, white and blue visited graves. They also attended speeches by state leaders.

Gov. Tim Walz said Minnesota prioritizes funding for veteran issues across party lines.

“That expectation is the reason you gather today,” he said. “The sense of gratitude, the sense that you don’t have to be asked to agree with someone, but the one thing we can agree upon is those who are willing to lay down their lives so that we can have a democracy, is why we gather here.”

Walz in recent years signed bills into law for funding for veteran homes, cemeteries and the National Guard.

Text Example

This story was originally published on MPRNews.org.

]]>

As older Minnesotans feel impacts of Social Security changes, Sen. Amy Klobuchar pledges to help

Ingrid Harbo — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 21:09:45 GMT

CROSSLAKE, Minn. — For 79-year-old Tony Wagner, accessing Social Security benefits had always been straightforward since he started receiving them in 2011. The agency’s online portal was easy to use, and wait times at the office were reasonable.

The ease of accessing his benefits changed after his wife died in January, the Crosslake man shared Thursday, April 3, in a virtual press conference hosted by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. Since then, he’s run into issues finding forms online, long wait times over the phone and cumbersome identity verification in the online portal.

“I’ve been receiving Social Security benefits for nearly 15 years and have never experienced this level of brick wall,” Wagner said. “Getting access to Social Security should not be this difficult.”

Klobuchar hosted the press conference to talk about how proposed changes to Social Security could affect older adults in Minnesota. Across the U.S., 73 million people use Social Security, including 1.1 million people in Minnesota. Older adults across Minnesota are calling her office with the same concerns, she said.

“They’ve worked hard, they paid into Social Security with every paycheck, and now they’re afraid the rug is being pulled out from under them,” she said.

Klobuchar said she is seeing drastic changes to the Social Security Administration, between staff cuts, office closures and new identity verification rules.

In February, the Social Security Administration announced plans to cut 7,000 staff. It also announced plans to restructure the agency from 10 regional offices to four.

The agency office denied it has permanently closed any field offices, which are smaller offices across the country. In a March 27 press release, it called reports that it is closing local field offices “false.”

On March 26, the Social Security Administration announced new rules for identity verification when people apply for benefits, which it says safeguards “Social Security records and benefits for millions of Americans against fraudulent activity.” Starting April 14, people applying for Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare or Supplemental Security Income who can’t use the agency’s online portal or complete their claim over a phone will need to go to a Social Security office to apply for benefits.

The policy starting April 14 is a walkback of more stringent identity-proofing measures announced earlier in March that would have required more people to visit Social Security offices in person.

“These added obstacles will inevitably lead some people to lose access to their hard-earned benefits,” Klobuchar said.

Accessing benefits will be even more difficult for people in rural areas, people with disabilities, people without internet access and people who are not good at navigating the online system, she said.

Cathy McLeer, AARP Minnesota state director, said that if proposed changes are implemented, older Americans in rural areas will have to drive hours to get to a Social Security office in person. For people in Warroad or Roseau, the closest offices are more than 100 miles away in Bemidji, Hibbing or Grand Forks, North Dakota, she said.

“So for someone who may still be working and wants to file for those benefits for the first time, or for a current recipient who is still working, would be forced to take a day off of work and make those commutes merely to fill out paperwork,” she said.

Minnesota AARP members already report hours-long wait times for telephone services, McLeer said.

Klobuchar pledged to fight to preserve and protect Social Security benefits.

]]>

Avian flu tops list of concerns for Minnesota’s turkey industry

Tom Cherveny — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 16:06:07 GMT

WILLMAR, Minn. — Dealing with the two different viruses harming turkey production is their top concern, but turkey growers and processors told Minnesota's U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith that there are a wide range of other worries for the industry.

The two Democrats, who are members of the Senate’s Agricultural Committee, hosted a roundtable session Tuesday with turkey industry representatives at the Fahlun Farms turkey barns south of Willmar. The start of the spring waterfowl migration makes the potential spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza a top concern, participants said.

At Fahlun Farms, located about midway between Lakes Wakanda and Big Kandiyohi, two lasers beam streams of colored lights at the sky, day and night. They’ve been effective, Jake Vlaminck, president of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association and general manager of Fahlun Farms, told the senators. The wild birds perceive the random patterns of light as a threat, “so they don’t stop and keep going,” he said.

There are around 100 laser systems on turkey farms in Minnesota, and that has helped the state reduce its losses due to avian influenza while losses nationwide have not declined, Vlaminck said.

The turkey industry is coping with bird losses due to both the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N1, as well as an avian metapneumovirus that primarily infects breeder stock. Producers are relying on foreign-made vaccines to manage the avian metapneumovirus until a domestically produced vaccine is available. Klobuchar expressed optimism that a waiver allowing the importation of the vaccine will be extended.

Producers said they also want the federal government to support the development of a vaccine.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza is estimated to have reduced the supply of turkey by 5%, and the avian metapneumovirus by another 4%, Matt Schrupp, vice president of supply chain operations for Jennie-O Turkey Store, told the senators.

It’s meant the loss of workdays for employees, Schrupp said, as there are fewer birds for processing. His company is trying to even out the loss of work time among its plants to reduce the economic impact on workers.

Some of the worst flock losses are occurring on independent farms in Minnesota that are located relatively close to one another, according to Michael Barber, a grower and member of the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council.

“I know two guys who already shut down,” he said.

Klobuchar said the United States Department of Agriculture “accidentally fired” employees involved in helping manage the disease, but that they have now been rehired. She is reaching out to Republican colleagues with turkey producers in their states to emphasize the importance of including the turkey industry in the federal response to avian influenza.

The turkey industry is concerned that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins did not directly mention turkeys when she outlined federal plans for avian influenza in a recent opinion piece published by the Wall Street Journal.

Roundtable participants expressed their concerns Tuesday about the biosecurity audits that are now being required as part of the National Poultry Impact Program. The audits are required at barns where avian influenza has infected flocks, and at farms in their vicinity. Erica Sawatzke, chair of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, said producers told her the audits are “burdensome” and slow down the reintroduction of birds to the barns, while providing no value.

At the session’s start, Klobuchar cited the economic value of turkey exports and her concerns about the potential impact of tariffs. Minnesota is the nation’s leading turkey producer. Roughly 15% of the nation’s turkey production is exported. Mexico is the largest buyer, and Canada is an important customer as well, according to Klobuchar.

She said the threat of tariffs on Mexico, though now paused, is “like a dark cloud out there.”

Smith said she is also concerned about the $300,000 USDA block grant that the federal government would usually provide the state for testing costs associated with the avian influenza response.

Dr. Brian Hoefs, executive director of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, said the state still expects to receive the funds, but the delay means the state had to cut some of its program contracts for testing. It also means growers are paying for testing costs, he said.

After the session, Klobuchar told reporters she will redouble her efforts to enlist Republican support to address the vaccine and avian influenza concerns cited at the roundtable. In response to questions, she said there is no assurance that funding for indemnification will be part of a new farm bill.

“Everything is in some danger right now,” she said.

On the optimistic side, she said she had not known about the use of lasers and will now promote support for their use. Lasers are something she believes President Donald Trump would support.

A laser costs roughly $16,000, and two are recommended for a site, according to Vlaminck. Minnesota offers a grant for a cost-share program for lasers, and consequently, more farms in Minnesota have adopted their use than in other states, according to Dr. Jill Nezworski, a poultry veterinarian.

]]>

Sens. Smith, Klobuchar respond to potential lease termination of Bemidji’s Indian Health Service office

Pioneer Staff Report — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 22:37:23 GMT

BEMIDJI — Bemidji’s Indian Health Service office is listed on the Department of Government Efficiency’s website as a potential lease termination in an effort to cut costs, leaving the future of the office unclear.

U.S. Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar wrote a letter Tuesday demanding answers about the possible lease termination for the office, which occupies a 4,896-square-foot building located at 2225 Cooperative Court NW near Beltrami Electric.

The IHS office joins a list of 748 potential lease terminations throughout the country. According to the DOGE website, terminating the lease would save the government $178,554.

According to the IHS website, the Bemidji office provides health care services for 34 tribal nations and four urban health programs in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The office operates three federal/direct service programs on behalf of the Leech Lake, Red Lake and White Earth Nations. These programs — Cass Lake Hospital, Red Lake Hospital and White Earth Health Center — are staffed by about 500 federal employees and Public Health Service commissioned officers.

In a letter to General Services Administration Administrator Stephen Ehikian and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Smith and Klobuchar “highlighted the devastating impact this decision could have on the health and well-being of thousands of Native Americans across the region,” a release said.

“Thousands of members of federally recognized tribal nations receive health care within the Bemidji Area Office’s purview,” the letter reads. “This includes emergency care, substance use disorder treatment, mental health care, primary, specialty, and dental care, and much more. Without an operational area office, recipients of this care will face immediate disruptions in care and health consequences. It is unconscionable to risk the health care of children and families in this way.”

In the letter, Smith and Klobuchar noted that IHS services are provided under the federal government’s trust and treaty obligations to tribal nations and that any disruption in operations could jeopardize essential medical services. They requested clarity on whether GSA intends to terminate the lease and if so, what plans exist to prevent service disruptions.

“The Bemidji area is already the least resourced IHS service area, and putting the administration of those services into chaos as a result of this abrupt office closure will only exacerbate this disparity,” the letter reads. “This is not in the spirit of making America healthy again.”

]]>

Thune takes middle ground as MN, ND lawmakers disparage, celebrate Trump's spat with Zelenskyy

Luke Hagen — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 23:48:00 GMT

MITCHELL, S.D. — Senate Majority Leader John Thune, reacting Friday afternoon to a heated joint press conference between President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told the Mitchell Republic that Russia was the aggressor in the war with Ukraine.

Thune stood firmly in the middle among regional lawmakers who fell along party lines in responding to a heated exchange Friday, Feb. 28, between Trump and Zelenskyy, including mention of World War III from Trump.

“No question in my mind that Russia is the aggressor,” Thune said following a tour of the Muth Electric building during a scheduled stop in Mitchell. Last week, President Trump called Zelenskyy “a dictator without elections” and blamed Ukraine for starting the war.

Thune, a Republican who took over as Senate leader in January, called the meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy “spirited” while acknowledging the U.S. should do what it can to help Ukraine.

“Obviously, there will have to be some subsequent follow-up meetings that occur, but hopefully they got some of that out of their system but, you know, it was a lot,” Thune said. “It's high stakes. There's a lot riding on this.”

Thune explained it’s unlikely “at least from a financial standpoint” that the U.S. will support Ukraine with an aid package similar to the $2.5 billion in security assistance sent under then-President Joe Biden earlier this year. Thune called on Europe to do more on the security and financial side.

He said America is heavily invested in the war and “we want to support in any way possible, a peaceful resolution that respects and ends up with Ukrainian sovereignty.”

Thune also reiterated his support for the United States as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, but explained that the European countries need to fulfil their obligation to spend 2 percent of their GDP on national security on the military, a topic that was pointed out during the first Trump administration.

“And very few of them were hitting it, out of the 31 NATO nations, I think only six of them,” Thune said.

“Well, since then they started to increase and all of them realize now that this is serious business, and if you feel threatened by Russia — and I think a lot of Europe does — then they're gonna have to step up and shoulder more of that burden. I think that's a fair expectation. I think the U.S., like I said, has done a ton already.”

Still, Thune said Ukraine won’t be joining NATO anytime soon and said that right now, it would be “just too inflammatory.”

“I just think that that creates all kinds of problems in the region. Is it a possibility someday? I'm not ruling it out. I just don't think it's gonna be something that's in the near-near future.”

During the spat in the Oval Office, Zelenskyy expressed doubt that Trump’s attempts to reach an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin would be successful in the long term, as Putin repeatedly broke previous ceasefire agreements.

“Putin will never stop and will go further and further,” Zelenskyy said, adding that the Russian leader “hates Ukrainians” and wanted to destroy the country, Bloomberg reported.

Trump said Zelenskyy was disrespectful and that his attitude toward Russia was hindering peace negotiations.

“You’ve got to be more thankful, because let me tell you, you don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us, you don’t have any cards,” Trump said.

“You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country,” he added.

Vice President JD Vance defended Trump’s relationship with Putin before accusing Zelenskyy of being ungrateful.

“Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country, please,” he said.

Zelenskyy left the White House after the meeting, and an afternoon press conference was called off.

Trump later posted to Truth Social, “Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved.”

Democratic members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation were quick to come to Zelenskyy’s defense.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said gratitude should be expressed to Zelenskyy and Ukraine.

Answer to Vance: Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly.
And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own & stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe. Shame on you.
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) February 28, 2025

“Zelenskyy has thanked our country over and over again both privately and publicly,” she said on X. “And our country thanks HIM and the Ukrainian patriots who have stood up to a dictator, buried their own & stopped Putin from marching right into the rest of Europe. Shame on you.”

Klobuchar's sentiment was echoed by Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., who also took to X to share her thoughts.

JD: The Ukrainian president has thanked America over and over. He just refuses to kiss your ass.

A stronger Putin puts America - and democracies around the world - at risk.
— Angie Craig (@AngieCraigMN) February 28, 2025

"JD: The Ukrainian president has thanked America over and over," she wrote. "... A stronger Putin puts America — and democracies around the world — at risk."

Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., suggested the press conference was an effort by Trump and Vance to impress Putin.

That press conference was choreographed for an audience of one and he sits in Moscow.

Once, we fought tyrants. Today Trump and Vance are bending America’s knee. And that weakens us.
— Senator Tina Smith (@SenTinaSmith) February 28, 2025

“That press conference was choreographed for an audience of one and he sits in Moscow,” she said on X. “Once, we fought tyrants. Today Trump and Vance are bending America’s knee. And that weakens us.”

Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-Minn., echoed Smith’s sentiment.

“Today we watched President Trump do Putin’s bidding from inside the Oval Office,” Morrison said in a statement. “Bowing to a dictator instead of defending democracy. This is a disgrace to the United States and what we should stand for. Shameful.”

Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., accused Trump of displaying a “total lack of diplomacy” in a Friday statement.

“President Trump and Vice President Vance’s conduct in this Oval Office meeting was a disgrace and a missed opportunity to work together to end the unjustified invasion of Ukraine,” she wrote. “President Trump now appears to have cancelled what could have been a fruitful negotiation to move toward peace.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., kept her input on the situation short.

This is embarrassing. https://t.co/Ya2X2gmlgJ
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) February 28, 2025

“This is embarrassing,” she posted on X with a clip of the exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy. A representative for Omar said the post was her official statement on the matter.

Not every representative in Congress found the conversation unproductive or shameful.

“Americans elected President Trump because they wanted strength back in the White House,” Rep. Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., told Forum News Service. “He’s a strong negotiator and he has done more to move the ball on peace in the Ukraine than any other leader in the world since this started. This isn’t going to be solved overnight. Let’s give these negotiations time to work.”

Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., agreed that Trump was showing strength in the conversation with Zelenskyy.

Peace through strength is the only way forward.

That's the America First leadership @POTUS and @VP showed today.

The bloodshed must end, and President Trump is the master negotiator and peacemaker who can get it done. https://t.co/viBJ4EQshD
— Tom Emmer (@GOPMajorityWhip) February 28, 2025

"Peace through strength is the only way forward," Emmer wrote on X. "That's the America First leadership @POTUS and @VP showed today. The bloodshed must end, and President Trump is the master negotiator and peacemaker who can get it done."

Reps. Brad Finstad, R-Minn.; Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn.; Dusty Johnson, R-S.D.; and Pete Stauber, R-Minn.; along with Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.; John Hoeven, R-N.D.; and Mike Rounds, R-S.D.; did not respond to requests for comment as of publication time.

Updated at 5:48 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.]]>

Sen. Tina Smith says she will not seek re-election; Flanagan announces bid for seat

Mary Murphy — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 16:50:27 GMT

ST. PAUL — Sen. Tina Smith announced Thursday, Feb. 13, that she will not run for re-election in 2026 for her seat in the U.S. Senate, leaving one of Minnesota’s two seats in the chamber up for grabs.

With 20 years in public service and almost two years left in her term, Smith said Thursday the decision is “not political, it is entirely personal.”

Smith said in a video announcement that she wants to spend more time with her family, pointing to her four grandchildren and her 95-year-old father.

“One of my great joys is to know that I have time to spend more time with them, doing sleepovers and helping out from time to time when the kids need me,” she said. “So this decision is not political, it is entirely personal, but it’s not lost on me that our country is in need of strong progressive leadership right now, maybe more than ever.”

Smith said she is excited to make room going forward for Minnesota’s “deep bench of political talent,” and that she looks forward to focusing on her work as a senator and not also juggling a campaign the next two years.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan announced through social media Thursday that she intends to run for the seat and will make a formal announcement later this month.

“I love Minnesota and my intention is to run for United States Senate and continue to serve the people of this state,” she said.

Royce White, a conservative former basketball player, announced his 2026 bid for Smith’s Senate seat in November after losing his bid to Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who took 56% of the vote against his 40%. Democrats have not lost a statewide race in Minnesota since 2006, when former Gov. Tim Pawlenty was elected.

Klobuchar released a statement via email following Smith’s announcement.

“It’s been a privilege to work with Senator Tina Smith,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “I’m lucky enough to call her not only a colleague but a true friend. Tina and I have been friends since long before our time together in the Senate…Her quiet but effective governing style earned her the title of the velvet hammer. While Tina and I will continue to work together for the next two years, our friendship and her legacy will last a lifetime.”

Smith, originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, moved to Minnesota in 1984 where she worked for General Mills and raised her two sons with her husband, Archie Smith. Smith then worked for Planned Parenthood, as chief of staff to Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and chief of staff for Mark Dayton’s campaign in 2011 before eventually running for office with him in 2014, according to her official website.

Smith, 66, was first elected to the U.S. Senate seat in 2018. Previously, she served as lieutenant governor for Dayton.

While serving in the Senate, Smith worked on 70 bills that have been signed into law, including the Inflation Reduction Act, two bipartisan mental health care bills, the Violence Against Women Act for Native American women and the Rural MOMS Act to address maternal deaths in rural areas.

]]>

New bill aims to extend federal benefits to firefighters with cancer

Anne Sara Bien-Aime — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 21:59:32 GMT

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are working to expand federal support for firefighters and first responders who develop cancer as a result of their service.

U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Kevin Cramer have reintroduced the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, which would extend benefits under the 1976 Public Safety Officer Benefits program to include occupational cancer.

The program currently provides benefits to families of first responders for line-of-duty deaths or injuries caused by physical trauma, heart attacks, strokes or mental health conditions. If passed, the legislation would provide federal support for the families of firefighters and other first responders who die from or are disabled by cancers linked to their work.

The legislation honors Michael Paidar, a St. Paul fire captain who died from leukemia in 2020. His widow, Julie Paidar, successfully advocated for Minnesota to extend line-of-duty benefits to their family in the wake of his death.

“Because of her efforts, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety awarded line-of-duty benefits to their family. It marked the first time that Minnesota extended death benefits to the family of a firefighter who died from cancer,” said Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota. Cramer is a Republican from North Dakota.

Klobuchar announced that the bill has passed out of the Judiciary Committee and is now gathering additional support.

Occupational cancer remains the leading cause of death among firefighters.

]]>

Minnesota Sen. Klobuchar opens Trump inauguration, focuses on ‘enduring democracy’

Mary Murphy — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 19:36:32 GMT

ST. PAUL — Minnesota senator and 2020 presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar delivered opening remarks at Monday’s inauguration of President Donald Trump, with a focus on democracy, finding common ground and the power of the people.

As chair of the Inauguration Committee, a bipartisan committee, Sen. Klobuchar opened the Monday, Jan. 20, inauguration with a five-minute speech, declaring the theme of the ceremony “enduring democracy.” Klobuchar was the only Democratic speaker at the inauguration.

“In a democracy, every citizen, regardless of interest in politics, holds office, every one of us is in a position of responsibility,” she said. “With that responsibility of citizenship comes an obligation not to seek out malice, as President Lincoln once reminded us, but to view others with a generosity of spirit despite our differences. With that responsibility of leadership, comes an obligation to stand our ground when we must and find common ground when we can.”

Klobuchar also paid tribute to a famous Minnesota singer-songwriter in her speech, quoting Bob Dylan’s song “Shelter from the Storm.”

“It is on all of us, to quote an incredible songwriter who just happened to be born in my state, to ensure that our nation’s democracy is our ‘Shelter from the Storm,’ ” she said.

Klobuchar started her role as chair of the Inauguration Committee in May of 2024. Ahead of Monday’s inauguration, she spoke with Forum News Service on Friday, Jan. 17, about what it’s been like to oversee this committee after having supported the ticket of fellow Minnesotan Gov. Tim Walz and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Obviously, I supported the Harris-Walz ticket, and I would have liked to see them win, but this week, my mind is on what I have to do,” Klobuchar said. “It’s my obligation and duty, and I am committed to making sure this inauguration goes well for our country.”

Klobuchar called to attention bipartisanship’s role in the Inauguration Committee, something she has a reputation for as a senator with some of the most bipartisan bills passed in 2021.

“What’s most important is that this ceremony be a positive ceremony for not just (Trump’s) supporters, but for the country, because this is a moment where everyone steps back and sees that what unites us is bigger than what divides us,” Klobuchar said Friday. “That is why you see President Biden, Vice President Harris, President Obama and the Clintons. I mean, there’s a lot of Republicans and Democratic leaders up on that stage, so our job was to do this no matter who won, and that’s how we plan this.”

Trump on Friday decided to move the inauguration inside, as temperatures were projected to hit all-time lows. In 2019, Klobuchar announced her bid for the 2020 presidency in the snow, a moment that could have been replicated visually on Monday if the ceremony stayed outdoors.

Klobuchar said it was her job to honor the decision to move indoors, and that she was focused on making sure the inauguration went smoothly.

As chair of the Senate Rules Committee for the past four years, Klobuchar has also worked on several bipartisan measures to improve Capitol security, since Jan. 6, 2021, including around large events like the inauguration. She said that she and her colleagues have hired a new police chief, added more officers and “increased morale,” among other measures.

“You know, there are always people trying to do our country harm, and so you can’t anticipate every single way that will be done, but I can tell you that they’re more prepared than ever,” she said.

Klobuchar was joined by other members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation at Monday’s inauguration: Sen. Tina Smith; Reps. Brad Finstad, R-MN1; Angie Craig, D-MN2; Kelly Morrison, D-MN3; Tom Emmer, R-MN6; Michelle Fischbach, R-MN7; Pete Stauber, R-MN8. Reps. Betty McCollum, D-MN4; and Ilhan Omar, D-MN5; were not in attendance.

Stauber, R-Duluth, tweeted from the Capitol rotunda during Trump’s speech.

“We are so back,” Stauber said on X. “Drill baby drill!”

]]>

Sen. Amy Klobuchar to speak at Trump inauguration

Noah Losing — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 22:30:53 GMT

WASHINGTON — Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar will speak at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Klobuchar is the chair of the bipartisan joint congressional committee, a role she started in May.

Klobuchar said she has worked the past four years across the board to improve Capitol security, including for large events like the inauguration.

She said she has planned to speak at the inauguration for about a year. She said she was excited for the opportunity, no matter the candidate.

"I would have been speaking if the Democrats won or the Republicans won, that’s my job. And I have a committee that I chair made up of the speaker of the House and the Democratic leaders, and we approach this in a bipartisan way from the very beginning," Klobuchar said.

She said she has played a key role in planning the congressional lunch and making sure there is a strong security plan in place.

]]>

Red Lake Nation receives $25 million grant for road improvements

Pioneer Staff Report — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 19:42:44 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith recently announced Red Lake Nation as one of two grant recipients in Minnesota to make several sections of highway safer and more accessible for travelers.

According to a release, the grants were distributed as part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity Program within the Department of Transportation.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar and Smith supported, delivered a 50% increase in the amount of available funding for RAISE, which provides grants for surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant local or regional impact.

Red Lake Nation will use its $25 million award to reconstruct approximately 1.2 miles of Minnesota State Highway 1, rehabilitate four miles of existing pavement on Walking Shield Road and extend Walking Shield Road 5.6 miles to the east. Approximately 11 miles of shared use paths will also be constructed.

Other improvements include widened shoulders, sidewalks, installation of street lighting, access improvements, cultural elements, culvert replacements, new guardrail, intersection enhancements including a new roundabout, and stormwater and drainage improvements.

The Lower Sioux Indian Community also received a $25 million grant for improvements.

“Rebuilding our infrastructure is critical for families, workers and businesses everywhere — including in tribal communities like Lower Sioux Indian Community and Red Lake Band of Chippewa,” Klobuchar said in the release. “These infrastructure projects will create good jobs, support new businesses and make traveling safer for drivers and pedestrians.”

“If we’re going to build an economy that works for everyone, then we need to prioritize investments in vital infrastructure like highways that connect people with opportunities all across the state,” Smith added. “It’s great to see this significant federal investment and I’m going to keep fighting to bring federal dollars back to Minnesota.”

]]>