Senator Tina Smith

Thank you for having me and thank you for your work!

You can easily say Dodge County farmer Jim Checkel has an open door policy.

Jim works on the southern MN farm that has been in his family since the ‘40s. The farm is still growing corn and soybeans like it has for decades, but Jim is also focused on growing a greater understanding of farm life. Over the past several years on the farm, Jim has welcomed more than 12,000 visitors to his slice of heaven in Greater Minnesota—and many of them are international travelers.

But right now, it’s hard to be excited talking about the ag economy and trying to make a living in small towns and rural areas. Everything needed to run a farm is more expensive, and just running a household is costing more than families can afford. That’s the disheartening part of the story Jim has been telling for the past few months. Fertilizer is too expensive. Diesel is too expensive. Utility bills are too expensive. Health insurance is too expensive. Picking up lunch is even getting more expensive.

This isn’t because your local co-op, café or clinic is getting rich—far from it. The giant corporations and monopoly middle-men are the ones making record profits, with working families left in the dust.

It doesn’t have to be this way, and I’m working in the Senate to level the playing field. Let’s make sure farmers like Jim can afford to keep the lights on and their doors open.

Rochester International Airport (RST) is breaking ground on a major upgrade!

As an essential parking and staging area for air ambulances, flight school aircraft and private planes, RST’s General Aviation ramp will be expanded from 325 ft. to more than 400 ft.

Widening the ramp will help more people and products move safely through RST, but planned upgrades aren’t stopping there. Rochester and the airport also plan to renovate storm water systems to improve its drainage during torrential downpours and install LED dark-sky-compliant lighting for enhanced visibility and safety.

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of this airport to Minnesota. An economic engine for our state, RST drives job creation, attracts investment and supports local businesses.

This project wouldn’t have been possible without the investments made from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law we passed in 2021. I’m glad I was able to bring back $8 million for RST to start this project and make flying safer for everyone. It’s an honor to be here at the groundbreaking.

Minnesota is home to 11 Tribal Nations, including Wayekwaa-gichigamiing Gichigamiwininiwag, translated in English to Lake Superior men at the far end of the Great Lake-- known to most as the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. I had the privilege of visiting their Tribal lands yesterday and meeting with Tribal leaders and members to talk about how the federal government can be a supportive partner and uphold our trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations.

We’ve been able to work together to get culturally significant foods in school meals, ensuring traditions are passed down for generations. We’ve made investments to upgrade infrastructure on Tribal lands, including a water treatment plant and an emergency management building.

Tribal leaders and members know what’s best for their communities, and the federal government can best respect Tribal sovereignty by supporting self-governance and self-determination. Miigwech for having me!

A community-driven coalition in Duluth is making a real difference helping people find safe, affordable and decent places to rest their heads at night.

Union Gospel Mission, Chum and the Damiano Center are three non-profits in Duluth helping people find a place to call home. For years, they’ve worked together in limited partnerships on combatting the housing crisis, but now they’re further joining forces to create one strong, unified approach. I met with leaders from each organization and other housing advocates in Duluth today to see this new plan in action.

Each organization is going to focus on one piece of the complex housing puzzle. Union Gospel Mission is focusing on operating as an emergency shelter, Chum will focus on transitional housing and the Damiano Center will focus on supporting those facing homelessness with complex needs. No more redundancy or organizational silos as they work toward a common goal.

This teamwork is especially important right now as the city of Duluth has a serious housing shortage, with the town needing 6,200 MORE places for people to call home.

I’ll continue to fight at the federal level for more affordable, quality homes in this country, and will bring the insights from today’s conversations back to the Senate as I work to pass commonsense bipartisan legislation.

Every Memorial Day, we pause to remember the sacrifice of our men and women who died in uniform. Minnesotans gathered at Ft. Snelling to pay tribute to the patriots who put themselves in danger to defend our freedom and democracy. A moving and solemn ceremony as we commemorate the Minnesotans who made the ultimate sacrifice so we can be free, along with the families and friends honoring their loved ones. America makes a promise to our troops and their families to support them both during and after their service. Today is a reminder for us all to tirelessly work to uphold that promise.

Wishing everyone a peaceful and beautiful Memorial Day. 🇺🇸

Nothing makes you look guiltier than forcing the Justice Department to promise never to investigate your taxes or prosecute you for anything they might find