Al Franken - U.S. Senator, Minnesota

Inforum: Farmers in Minnesota counties due aid

megan — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:06:58 +0000

ST. PAUL – Farmers in 16 Minnesota counties will be eligible for emergency loans and other help after dealing with multiple weather problems.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday announced the farmers, mostly in northern Minnesota, are due federal aid because their farms have sustained excessive rain, flooding, frost and cold.

“Many farm operations are already struggling with low farm prices, and these weather disasters have made it even harder for them to operate,” said Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn.

(...)
Read the rest of Inforum: Farmers in Minnesota counties due aid (121 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

CNN: Franken to keynote Netroots Nation convention

megan — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:35:17 +0000

(CNN) – Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, will headline the upcoming Netroots Nation convention, organizers announced Thursday.

Netroots Nation is the most prominent gathering of liberal bloggers each year. The three day convention begins July 22 in Las Vegas and Franken will deliver the keynote address on July 25.

(...)
Read the rest of CNN: Franken to keynote Netroots Nation convention (142 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

KDAL610: Franken Lends Google Support To Duluth

megan — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:59:50 +0000

Duluth, Mn (KDAL) U-S Senator from Minnesota, Al Franken, has brought back some “Duluth Answer Man” video clips that he did 20 years ago in support of the Twin Ports Google Fiber Initiative. The “Duluth Answer Man” campaign was first used by the Convention and Visitors Bureau to promote tourism to the city in the 1980’s.

(...)
Read the rest of KDAL610: Franken Lends Google Support To Duluth (61 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Franken urges student loan reform as part of reconciliation

megan — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:49:45 +0000

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) today (Thursday, March 11) joined Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.) at a press conference to push for including student loan reform as part of the reconciliation bill.

The student aid reform package would make historic investments in our economic future by eliminating the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL), a wasteful loan program that gives away billions to banks.

The University of Minnesota dropped the FFEL program in favor of direct lending to students 14 years ago. The billions saved can be used to increase Pell Grants, making college more affordable and helping more students graduate.

(...)
Read the rest of Franken urges student loan reform as part of reconciliation (219 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

MinnPost: Franken to headline Netroots Nation

megan — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:30:18 +0000

WASHINGTON — Sen. Al Franken will headline Netroots Nation, the largest annual gathering of online progressive activists in America, this summer, officials from Franken’s office confirmed today.

“The netroots community is a critical piece of a successful progressive agenda. They’re talking to their neighbors, volunteering their time, and they’re on the front lines making change happen,” Franken said in a statement. “I’ve been honored to have their support, and I’m honored to talk to them this summer.”

(...)
Read the rest of MinnPost: Franken to headline Netroots Nation (82 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Politico: Al Franken keynoting Netroots Nation

megan — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:24:08 +0000

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) will give the keynote speech to Netroots Nation, the conference for progressive bloggers announced Thursday.

Franken’s speech to the July conference being held in Las Vegas is a sign that while the first-term senator has mostly stayed quiet since winning his recount-stalled election against former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), he still remains a powerful voice among liberals.

(...)
Read the rest of Politico: Al Franken keynoting Netroots Nation (118 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

St. James Plaindealer: Minnesota Delegation Announces Airport Grants

megan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:25:41 +0000

Sixteen airports throughout Minnesota have been awarded over $5 million in federal grants to fund a number of maintenance and construction projects, including the St. James Municipal Airport. The St. James Airport received $144,216 to rehabilitate the runway. Today the offices of Transportation Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn), Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken (D-Minn), and Rep. Collin Peterson, Keith Ellison, and Tim Walz (D-Minn) announced that the grants will come from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FFA) Airport Improvement Program, administered by the Department of Transportation.

(...)
Read the rest of St. James Plaindealer: Minnesota Delegation Announces Airport Grants (206 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Star Tribune: Senate heeds call of jobless

megan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:17:52 +0000

WASHINGTON – Jobless Minnesotans would see their unemployment and health benefits extended and the state would get help closing its budget gap under a $150 billion bill passed by the Senate on Wednesday.

The bill, which still faces a vote in the House, would send as much as $430 million to insure the poor in Minnesota at a time when the state faces a crushing deficit and a 7.3 percent unemployment rate.

Facing persistent unemployment across the nation, Democrats in Washington are using their majorities in Congress to push through a flurry of economic provisions under the banner of a jobs agenda that is still taking form.

(...)
Read the rest of Star Tribune: Senate heeds call of jobless (1,052 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Northland’s NewsCenter: Franken Promotes “Pledge and Pass” Vote for Health Care Reform

megan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:10:58 +0000

DULUTH, MINN. — Last week President Obama delivered what might have been his final plea for Congress to pass health care reform. It’s being called “Pledge and Pass,” and it’s a term coined by Minnesota Senator Al Franken.

Franken says for Minnesotans, Pledge and Pass is a critical effort.

“The number one cause of bankruptcy in MN is healthcare crises,” Franken said in a special interview with the Northland’s NewsCenter.

(...)
Read the rest of Northland’s NewsCenter: Franken Promotes “Pledge and Pass” Vote for Health Care Reform (164 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Fox 21 News: Franken on health care and Google Fiber

megan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:31:33 +0000

DULUTH – Minnesota’s junior senator doesn’t see a problem with abortion language in the health care bill.

Pro–life democrats like Bart Stupak and Jim Oberstar are concerned about federal money going to voluntary abortions. But, Senator Al Franken says the way the bill is written, that should not be a problem.

(...)
Read the rest of Fox 21 News: Franken on health care and Google Fiber (100 words)

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh