So far, the list of Al Franken’s bills in the U.S. Senate reads more like the stuff of everyday life than legislative legend.

There are measures on school lunches, household products, service dogs for wounded vets. On his 100th day in office last week, he helped unveil a bill to extend country-of-origin labeling regulations to dairy products.

“A lot of these are common-sense things,” Franken said while sitting beneath a photo of his late friend and mentor, Sen. Paul Wellstone. “A lot of these are about improving people’s lives. That’s what Paul said politics is all about.”

Full Entry »

Updates Vice President On Legal Proceedings, Discusses Issues Of Importance To Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS [05/06/09] – This afternoon, Senator-elect Al Franken visited the White House to meet with Vice President Biden. Franken updated the Vice President on the state of Minnesota’s second U.S. Senate seat, and discussed the administration’s agenda and its potential benefits for the people of Minnesota. Franken was accompanied by his wife, Franni.
Full Entry »

Veteran Advisor Drew Littman Agrees To Head Up Washington Office

MINNEAPOLIS [4/29/09] – Senator-elect Al Franken today announced that Drew Littman, a longtime Capitol Hill veteran, has agreed to serve as his Washington-based chief of staff.

Littman, who has advised many Senators-elect, including Franken, on the transition process, was most recently the head of his own consulting practice, Littman Associates, and an adjunct professor at American University. He began his career on Capitol Hill twenty years ago as a policy aide for then-Rep. Barbara Boxer, and has since served as a subcommittee staff director and a Senate Policy Director.

Full Entry »

Longtime Oberstar Director To Head Up Franken’s State Office, Franken Says When He’s Certified “She’ll Work With Me To Hit The Ground Running On Day One”

MINNEAPOLIS [4/20/09] – Sen.-elect Al Franken today announced that Alana Petersen has agreed to serve as his Minnesota State Director, citing his commitment to continuing Minnesota’s tradition of excellent constituent services.

Petersen is a life-long resident of Minnesota who has spent the last five years working in outreach and organizing for Rep. Jim Oberstar.

Full Entry »

SAINT PAUL [4/13/09] – Senator-elect Al Franken made the following statement today on the election contest victory:

“Franni and I couldn’t be happier, because today, after a lengthy and careful trial scrutinizing our lengthy and careful recount, the three-judge panel has declared a winner in the 2008 Senate election here in Minnesota.

“I am honored and humbled by this close victory, and I’m looking forward to getting to work as soon as possible.

“The campaign for this Senate seat has been long and expensive. But the fight ahead, the fight to rebuild our economy and repair our broken health care system and restore our standing in the world – that’s a fight we must win. It’s a fight we must win by setting aside partisan gamesmanship and working together.

“My role in that fight will be to work every day with Senators from both parties to serve the state I love, because restoring America’s promise is going to be a big job. And it’s long past time we got to work.”

Full Entry »

SAINT PAUL [3/13/09] – Former Sen. Coleman’s lawsuit to overturn the results of the U.S. Senate election concluded today with closing arguments from both sides. Franken’s closing was delivered by attorney Kevin Hamilton.
Full Entry »

By Al Franken
Star Tribune

In the lead-up to the Nov. 4 election, it became all too clear that we were heading into a deep and dangerous recession. The economic policies of the last eight years — tax breaks tilted toward the wealthy, fiscal irresponsibility, cronyism, a refusal to invest in important American priorities — had been thoroughly discredited.

Americans voted for a new direction. They voted to rebuild our country’s economy by rebuilding its infrastructure, changing its energy policy and investing in our talented workforce. In electing Barack Obama president, America reaffirmed its conviction that, with the right leadership, any crisis can be transformed into a great opportunity.
Full Entry »

Minnesota has long had a reputation for clean, fair, transparent elections. That reputation was put to a test this election, and after 48 days, a hand count of nearly 3 million ballots, and a state canvassing board above reproach, our state passed with flying colors.

In the early morning hours of Nov. 5, our position was that every legal vote ought to be counted.

I am proud that three months later our position has never wavered.

Full Entry »

This week, as the trial starts in Norm Coleman’s lawsuit to overturn the election in the 2008 Minnesota Senate race, we wanted to make sure you had the latest information concerning the contest.

The Coleman camp, while claiming their lawsuit is about counting every vote, is really asking the Court to disenfranchise Minnesotans left and right.

Full Entry »

Read a statement from Al on attending President Barack Obama’s inauguration…
Full Entry »