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Duckworth Visits Greater Chicago Food Depository to Discuss Her Support for Addressing Food Insecurity

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

June 05, 2023

[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) leaders and visited ones of its distribution sites, Chosen Bethel Family Ministries, in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood. Duckworth secured $450,000 for GCFD through a Fiscal Year 2023 Congressionally Directed Spending Request, which will help support GCFD’s Nourish Project and its work to expand capacity to provide nutritious prepared meals for people at increased risk of hunger, while also creating jobs and economic impact for populations and communities that have been historically impacted by inequity and disinvestment. Duckworth was joined today by GCFD CEO Kate Maehr, as well as Chosen Tabernacle Paster Sandy Gillespie. Photos from today’s visit are available here.

“Our state and our nation are stronger when we invest in our communities and families—and that’s one of the things Congressionally Directed Spending allows us to do,” said Duckworth. “As someone whose family relied on public nutrition programs after my father lost his job, I’m grateful for these important social safety net programs and I appreciate the incredible work Greater Chicago Food Depository does. I’m proud I was able to secure this support for GCFD to expand its programming and help further reduce food insecurity throughout the Chicago area.”

In 2019, the Greater Chicago Food Depository completed Phase I of the Nourish Project, upgrading its warehouse to include an expansion of cold storage, renovations to its shipping area and new spaces for its volunteer program. Phase II of the Nourish Project is focused expanding capacity to prepare, source and distribute healthy pre-packaged meals that meet the dietary needs of our most at-risk neighbors.

In FY22, Duckworth and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) secured $211 million through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for Illinois and another $182 million for Illinois in FY23. The CDS process does not represent new spending, rather it enables Members of Congress to allocate existing funding for specific local projects by units of government, nonprofit organizations and other organizations that meet strict eligibility requirements.

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MISS. DELEGATION CALLS ON VA TO REMOVE ‘PRIDE’ FLAG AT BILOXI NATIONAL CEMETERY

Source: United States Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss)

MISS. DELEGATION CALLS ON VA TO REMOVE ‘PRIDE’ FLAG AT BILOXI NATIONAL CEMETERY

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and U.S. Representatives Trent Kelly (R-Miss.), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), and Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis R. McDonough calling for the removal of an LGBT “Pride” flag now flying at the entrance of the Biloxi National Cemetery on a pole normally reserved for a U.S. flag.

In their letter to McDonough, the Mississippi lawmakers push back on recent comments from the VA defending the decision.

“Replacing the United States flag with a flag that promotes a particular sexual or gender identity goes against the very mission of our national cemeteries. These sites were established to be a shrine ‘sacred to the honor and memory of those interred or memorialized there.’ Cemeteries should be places for reflection and respect, not public virtue signaling,” the lawmakers wrote.

The delegation members call on McDonough to take immediate action to reinstate the U.S. flag and remember the VA’s core mission.

“This political stunt is yet another example of this Administration’s willingness to promote its political agenda rather than focus on its mission as the executive branch. Our veterans expect the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide services, not promote controversial ideologies,” the lawmakers wrote.

Read the letter to Secretary McDonough here. 

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Klobuchar, Smith Announce Federal Funding to Help Eliminate Dangerous Rail Crossing in Willmar

Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

WASHINGTON  – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced $4,824,563 in federal funding to help eliminate a railway crossing in Willmar by constructing an overpass. 

“Blocked rail crossings not only inconvenience drivers, but also delay emergency vehicles and threaten public safety,” said Klobuchar. “This federal funding will help boost efficiency and improve safety along the rail line. Investments in our infrastructure serve as a down payment on the long-term economic well-being of our state.”

“Investing in transportation infrastructure has ripple effects throughout our state, making the entire economy more productive and resilient,” said Smith. “These investments – from overpasses and bridges to highway improvements – will enhance safety and efficiency for our drivers and railroads.  Whether it’s helping kids get to school on time, shortening commutes, or making sure first responders can respond to an emergency, I’m proud of our work to help secure these investments through President Biden’s Infrastructure Law and will continue working to improve transportation systems across our state.”

The investment is made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which both Klobuchar and Smith worked to pass. 

This funding will support the design and construction of an overpass over a BNSF rail line and includes reconstructing one mile of a rural two-lane highway. This project will eliminate an at-grade crossing, improve regional railroad operations, and also facilitate multimodal freight movement by constructing new rail access to the industrial park. 

Klobuchar and Smith are both cosponsors of the bipartisan Railway Safety Act. This legislation will make key updates to improve rail safety protocols, including increasing inspections on trains that carry hazardous materials, requiring rail carriers to have emergency response plans, and increasing penalties for rail companies when crashes happen. Last month, the bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee, of which Klobuchar is a member.

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Klobuchar, Stauber Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Safety of Federal Aviation Administration System and Prevent Outages Signed into Law

Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN) announced that their bipartisan legislation to help prevent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) system outages was signed into law. The NOTAM Improvement Act would require the FAA to establish a task force to strengthen the resiliency and cybersecurity of the NOTAM system, which alerts pilots of safety and location hazards on flight routes. 

“By upgrading and modernizing the FAA’s NOTAM system, this new law will improve aviation safety and prevent system outages from derailing travel,” said Klobuchar. “Travelers in the United States deserve safe and dependable air travel service, not nationwide ground stops caused by system failures like we saw earlier this year. That’s why as co-chair of the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, I’m focused on strengthening our air travel infrastructure.”

“I am pleased that the NOTAM Improvement Act has been signed into law by the President,” said Stauber. “This bill is critical to improving the safety of our skies for pilots and passengers by bringing experts from across the air travel industry together to improve the NOTAM system. We must avoid another system crash like the one in January that grounded all domestic air traffic for the first time since 9/11, and this bill is a crucial first step.”

The task force would be composed of representatives from air carriers, airports, and airline pilot, aircraft dispatcher, and FAA personnel unions, as well as aviation safety and cybersecurity experts.

The NOTAM Improvement Act was introduced by Senators Klobuchar (D-MN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) in the Senate and by Representatives Stauber (R-MN) and Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) in the House following a NOTAM system outage in January that grounded flights nationwide.

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Klobuchar, Smith Announce Federal Funding for Rail Crossing Improvement

Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

WASHINGTON  – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced $480,000 in federal funding to support a corridor planning study to evaluate a 112-mile segment of BNSF’s Hinckley Subdivision, which stretches from Minnesota’s border with Wisconsin to the Twin Cities area. The study would evaluate each rail crossing for closing or safety improvement. 

“Blocked rail crossings not only inconvenience drivers, but also delay emergency vehicles and threaten public safety,” said Klobuchar. “This federal funding will help boost efficiency and improve safety along this rail line. Investments in our infrastructure serve as a down payment on the long-term economic well-being of our state.”

“Investing in transportation infrastructure has ripple effects throughout our state, making the entire economy more productive and resilient,” said Smith. “These investments – from overpasses and bridges to highway improvements – will enhance safety and efficiency for our drivers and railroads.  Whether it’s helping kids get to school on time, shortening commutes, or making sure first responders can respond to an emergency, I’m proud of our work to help secure these investments through President Biden’s Infrastructure Law and will continue working to improve transportation systems across our state.”

The investment is made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which both Klobuchar and Smith worked to pass. 

This corridor includes approximately 121 at-grade crossings. 

Klobuchar and Smith are both cosponsors of the bipartisan Railway Safety Act. This legislation will make key updates to improve rail safety protocols, including increasing inspections on trains that carry hazardous materials, requiring rail carriers to have emergency response plans, and increasing penalties for rail companies when crashes happen. Last month, the Railway Safety Act passed the Senate Commerce Committee, of which Klobuchar is a member.

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Klobuchar, Smith Announce Federal Funding to Help Eliminate Dangerous Rail Crossing in Little Falls

Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

WASHINGTON  – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced $3,200,000 in federal funding to help eliminate a railway crossing in Little Falls by supporting the construction of a bridge. 

“Blocked rail crossings not only inconvenience drivers, but also delay emergency vehicles and threaten public safety,” said Klobuchar. “This federal funding will help boost efficiency and improve safety along the rail line. Investments in our infrastructure serve as a down payment on the long-term economic well-being of our state.”

“Investing in transportation infrastructure has ripple effects throughout our state, making the entire economy more productive and resilient,” said Smith. “These investments – from overpasses and bridges to highway improvements – will enhance safety and efficiency for our drivers and railroads.  Whether it’s helping kids get to school on time, shortening commutes, or making sure first responders can respond to an emergency, I’m proud of our work to help secure these investments through President Biden’s Infrastructure Law and will continue working to improve transportation systems across our state.”

The investment is made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which both Klobuchar and Smith worked to pass. 

This funding will support the planning, development, and final design work for a bridge that will allow Minnesota Trunk Highway 27 to cross a BNSF line and the Mississippi River. Creating a grade separated crossing will improve safety and efficiency for both drivers and BNSF trains.

Klobuchar and Smith are both cosponsors of the bipartisan Railway Safety Act. This legislation will make key updates to improve rail safety protocols, including increasing inspections on trains that carry hazardous materials, requiring rail carriers to have emergency response plans, and increasing penalties for rail companies when crashes happen. Last month, the bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee, of which Klobuchar is a member.

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Sen. Cramer Participates in $30 Million Rail Grant Announcement to Relieve Traffic Congestion, Improve Safety in Grand Forks

Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

***Click here for media resources.***

GRAND FORKS – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, joined Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg in announcing a $30,000,000 grant to the City of Grand Forks to build an underpass at the intersection of 42nd Street and Demers Avenue. The funds will be distributed under the Fiscal Year 2022 Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Program, a new initiative established by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

The proposed project will support the construction of a grade separation and add a 10-foot shared-use path to improve safety and eliminate 131 hours of vehicle delays caused by the nearby Grand Forks Yard-associated train transfers. In addition, this project improves access to the University of North Dakota campus, the local hospital, and will make 42nd Street permanently accessible for all emergency services in the area. 

“Everyone can agree infrastructure is critical to our country’s safety, security, and ability to transport goods and services to our communities. Our first responders need to respond quickly to accidents without being stuck behind a train. We’re only as strong as our weakest link, and these funds will help the people of Grand Forks and our nation’s commerce move freely and efficiently,” said Senator Cramer. “This project would not be possible without the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill. It’s hard to get broad, unanimous support out of committee, but it’s not as difficult when you do the right thing.”

Government officials joining Senator Cramer and Secretary Buttigieg were Mayor Brandon Bochenski, Grand Forks Fire Chief Gary Lorenz, and Lt. Governor Tammy Miller.

Background: 

The RCE Program provides funding for highway-rail and pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects to improve safety and travel efficiency for people and goods. The IIJA appropriated $573,264,000 for the program for Special Transportation Circumstances grants, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awards, and project management oversight.

In response to the notice of funding opportunity, FRA reviewed 153 eligible RCE applications from 41 states. Applicants included states, local governments and political subdivisions of states, metropolitan planning organizations, and public port authorities.

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Sen. Cramer Attends Change of Command Ceremony at Minot Air Force Base

Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

***Click here for photos.***

MINOT – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), attended a Change of Command ceremony at Minot Air Force Base, where Major Chase Shields formally relinquished command of the 891st Missile Security Forces Squadron to Major Moses Lee.

“Thank you to Major Chase Shields for his dedicated service to our state and nation, and to his wife, Lauren, for her commitment to enriching the lives of families at the base and her students in the community,” said Senator Cramer. “Congratulations to Major Moses Lee on his new position. For years, Minot Air Force Base has been on the frontlines to deter aggression from potential adversaries. I trust Major Lee will lead our airmen to new heights and safeguard our nation’s most sensitive assets. I look forward to working with him and leadership at the base to ensure it remains on the most effective frontline of nuclear deterrence.”

As the first North Dakotan to serve on SASC, Senator Cramer has used his seat on the committee to secure $3.6 billion for Sentinel Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) modernization, $735 million for B-52 commercial engine replacement program (CERP) and radar modernization, and $39 million for the Nuclear Command, Control, and Communication (NC3) program to modernize the base’s communications equipment.

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Duckworth, Durbin, Buszinski Announce $16 Million for Rail Safety in Decatur

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

June 05, 2023

[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13) today announced $16 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program for Decatur, Illinois, to improve rail connectivity by supporting construction activities to upgrade 1.21 miles of Brush College Road. This project will create a new grade separation structure, permanently close two existing highway-rail grade crossings on Norfolk Southern and Illinois Central Railroad rights-of-way, and create pedestrian grade crossings.

 “This federal support is critical in helping Decatur increase rail safety,” Duckworth said. “Improvements to grade separations and crossings help decrease noise, reduce emergency response time and improve commuter rail operations, safety and the environment of our communities. I’m pleased to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law at work right here in Illinois, and I’ll keep working to make sure Illinois has the support it needs to make these necessary infrastructure improvements.”

“This funding for Decatur is a monumental step forward, paving the way for rail improvements that prioritize passenger safety,” said Durbin. “By investing in our infrastructure, we are reconnecting communities, enhancing transportation efficiency, and ensuring timely delivery of goods. I’ll keep working with Senator Duckworth and Congresswoman Budzinski to prioritize the well-being of Illinoisans while forging a stronger future for Decatur.”

 “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is continuing to bring transformative investments to communities in Central and Southern Illinois,” said Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to join Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth in announcing that $16 million in federal infrastructure funding will be coming to Decatur to better connect the community and improve rail safety. This investment will create good-paying union jobs right here in our community and I’m looking forward to seeing this project progress.”

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Duckworth, Durbin and Budzinski supported, created the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program, which provides funding for highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects that focus on improving the safety and mobility of people and goods.

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Duckworth, Durbin, García, Ramirez Announce $8 Million for Rail Safety in Franklin Park

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

June 05, 2023

[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL-4), and U.S. Representative Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL-3) today announced $8 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program for Franklin Park, Illinois, to complete project development and final design for a grade separation of Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and Kansas City Southern (KCS) tracks through the Village while closing one or more at-grade crossings. This project aims to provide a safer crossing for roadway users and improve supply chain fluidity on both the road and rail network, while also reducing negative impacts of freight movement on nearby communities. 

 “Thousands of trains move through the densely populated Chicago region every day, making rail safety critically important to our state,” Duckworth said. “Improvements to grade separations and crossings help decrease noise, reduce emergency response time and improve commuter rail operations, safety and the environment of our communities. I’m pleased to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law at work right here in Illinois, and I’ll keep working to make sure Illinois has the support it needs to make these necessary infrastructure improvements.”

“A quarter of all the nation’s freight trains go through Chicagoland. Investments like this to improve rail crossings are crucial for the district I represent,” said García. “This project will make our infrastructure more resilient. It will make things safer and easier for people in Franklin Park and across the northwest suburbs who live with the daily reality of freight trains passing through their community.”

“Investing in our infrastructure is investing in the safety of our communities, and to me, the safety and wellbeing of the people who call IL-03 home will always come first,” said Ramirez. “That’s why I look forward to seeing the responsible implementation of this necessary funding in Franklin Park to help protect nearby communities while improving roadway safety and efficiency. While we disagree with the Surface Transportation Board’s decision to approve the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Kansas City Southern merger, this investment demonstrates our collective resolve to protect our neighborhoods and continuously work towards people-centered, rather than profit-driven, transportation infrastructure. I will continue working with the communities and local leaders to ensure that this funding help address the concerns of my constituents.”

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Duckworth, Durbin and García, and Ramirez supported, created the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program, which provides funding for highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects that focus on improving the safety and mobility of people and goods.