Minnesota

Proposal Will Keep More Unemployed Minnesotans Insuread

Washington, D.C. [Nov 5, 2009] – Today, U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) joined his colleagues Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) to support the COBRA Subsidy Extension and Enhancement Act (S.2730).

COBRA allows jobless workers to keep their health care as they look for new employment. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that seven million workers and their dependents will use the COBRA subsidies in 2009. Tens of thousands of Minnesota families won’t be able to stay insured without this extension. This act addresses the short-term crisis facing so many families by extending the COBRA subsidy another six months through June 30, 2010.    » read more »

November 03 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Mike Michaud praised the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) announcement that Verso Paper Corporation will receive a $9,356,177 Recovery Act grant for the deployment of waste energy recovery technologies. The project will implement a portfolio of 12 waste energy recovery sub-projects at Verso paper mills located in Jay, Maine; Bucksport, Maine; and Sartell, Minnesota. The sub-projects were chosen for their energy savings potential and potential for immediate implementation. The bundled project has an overall efficiency of 33%, and will save an estimated 1.28 trillion Btu annually.    » read more »

Two Organizations In Minnesota To Be Awarded New Markets Tax Credits

Washington, D.C. - Oct 30, 2009 – Today, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.) announced the distribution of $75 million to the National New Markets Tax Credit Fund Inc. and $15 million to the Great Neighborhoods! Development Corporation as part of the Treasury Department's New Market Tax Credit Awards program.

“Minnesota small businesses play a vital role in the development of our economy,” said Klobuchar. “These programs will provide the resources needed for Minnesota businesses and neighborhoods to build and sustain vibrant communities and ensure a successful future.”    » read more »

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack: "U.S. Pork Is Safe to Eat"

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) has confirmed the presence of 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus in a pig sample collected at the Minnesota State Fair submitted by the University of Minnesota. Additional samples are being tested.

"We have fully engaged our trading partners to remind them that several international organizations, including the World Organization for Animal Health, have advised that there is no scientific basis to restrict trade in pork and pork products," said Vilsack. "People cannot get this flu from eating pork or pork products. Pork is safe to eat."    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories will be conducting confirmatory testing on swine samples collected at the 2009 Minnesota State Fair between August 26 and September 1. The pigs sampled at the time showed no signs of illness and were apparently healthy.

The samples collected were part of a University of Iowa and University of Minnesota cooperative agreement research project funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which documents influenza viruses where humans and pigs interact at such as fairs.    » read more »

Includes allowing Minnesotans to purchase health insurance from other states

October 13, 2009 -- Saint Paul – Minnesotans would be first in the nation to be able to purchase health insurance across state lines under an initiative proposed by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty today.

Governor Pawlenty outlined a package of health care reform initiatives to be considered during the 2010 legislative session. In addition to enhancing competition in the health care insurance marketplace, the Governor proposed applying successful cost-containment strategies to the state’s publicly-subsidized health care programs.    » read more »

October 12, 2009 -- Saint Paul – With our first taste of winter arriving earlier than expected, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is reminding families who are having trouble paying their heating bills to contact their local utility company right away.

Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule, which takes effect this Thursday, October 15, protects residential utility customers from having their heat shut off through April 15, provided they contact their utility to set up a payment plan.    » read more »

Six Minnesota counties eligible for funding

Washington, D.C. [Oct 8, 2009] – U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in September, urging him to quickly approve a request made by Gov. Pawlenty to designate six Minnesota counties federal agriculture disaster areas.

In response the U.S. Department of Agriculture designated Kittson, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington and Roseau as agricultural disaster areas. Benefits are also available for the contiguous counties of Beltrami, Clearwater, Itasca, Polk, Red Lake and St. Louis .    » read more »

Says Minnesota's dairy farmers face dire conditions

September 15, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaking at an event outside the U.S. Capitol, Senator Amy Klobuchar highlighted the plight of dairy farmers in Minnesota and around the nation, saying that more must be done to alleviate the crisis. Klobuchar spoke about a farm she visited in Foley, Minnesota over the weekend, recounting a story about how tough the market has made it for the young farmer to make ends meet.    » read more »

Governor Pawlenty statement regarding the Minnesota Supreme Court’s decision in the Franken-Coleman election contest

June 30, 2009 -- Saint Paul – The following is a statement from Governor Tim Pawlenty regarding the Minnesota Supreme Court’s decision in the Franken-Coleman election contest.

“The Minnesota Supreme Court has today addressed the issues surrounding the accuracy and integrity of our election system during the 2008 U.S. Senate race in Minnesota. In light of that decision and Senator Coleman’s announcement that he will not be pursuing an appeal, I will be signing the election certificate today as directed by the court and applicable law.    » read more »

Proposed measures resolve $2.7 billion shortfall for Fiscal Years 2010-11; military & veterans, public safety, K-12 education among programs shielded from cuts

June 16, 2009 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson today announced recommendations to resolve a projected $2.676 billion budget gap through use of executive actions.

Today’s recommendations from Commissioner Hanson to Governor Pawlenty follow Hanson’s determination last week that “probable receipts for the general fund will be less than anticipated, and that the amount available for the remainder of the [2010-2011] biennium will be less than needed.”    » read more »

June 2, 2009 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced today that he will not seek a third term.

“I am incredibly grateful for the support and trust the people of Minnesota have given me during my two terms as Governor,” Governor Pawlenty said. “From providing the best support programs in the country for veterans and their families, to moving Minnesota out of the top ten highest taxed states, to sparking economic development in Greater Minnesota, to strengthening our K-12 education standards and implementing performance pay for teachers, much has been accomplished for our state.”

Governor Pawlenty said being governor should not be a permanent position for anyone.    » read more »

May 26, 2009 -- MOORHEAD, Minn. -- One-fourth of all businesses that close because of a disaster never reopen, according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety. But businesses that have a disaster preparedness plan - and implement it - typically have less damage, loss and downtime than those that do not.

The recent flooding in the Red River Valley affected hundreds of Minnesota businesses. With this current disaster risk in mind, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) urge business owners and managers to increase their chance of surviving this or any other type of event by being ready before disasters happen.    » read more »

Governors receive advisory group recommendations

May 14, 2009 -- A 42 person advisory group representing utilities, power generators, oil companies, manufacturers, labor, and environmental groups agreed yesterday to a set of Final Draft Recommendations that governors from six Midwestern states and the premier of Manitoba will use to develop a regional plan to cap and reduce global warming emissions.

The group advising the Midwestern Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord (MGGRA) members—Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin and Manitoba—indicated a strong preference for Congress to enact a federal level program to address climate change.    » read more »

Governor outlines plan to use executive action to balance budget, says his preference is to sign into law a negotiated budget agreement

May 14, 2009 -- Saint Paul – At the State Capitol this afternoon, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said, “Politics as usual around this place is over. The people of Minnesota expect and deserve timely and decisive action. I will not let the legislature’s work spill over into a special session.

We are not going to waste taxpayer money with a costly overtime or have a state government shutdown, especially in this economy. My preference would be for DFL legislators to work with me on a reasonable budget solution, but if they can’t get that done I will take executive action to balance the budget.”    » read more »