WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- A coalition of 22 attorneys general has formally opposed a Proposed Rule issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that seeks to ban abortion and abortion counseling from the medical benefits package provided to veterans and their dependents. The public comment letter, spearheaded by the attorneys general of California and Massachusetts, raises serious concerns about the implications of the rule, which aims to reinstate a full exclusion on these services that   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Fairview Health Services has submitted a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), urging the agency to reconsider a proposed 9% reduction in Medicare home health payment rates for calendar year 2026. The nonprofit health system, which operates an extensive network of hospitals and clinics, expressed concerns about the implications of these cuts on patient access and the sustainability of home health services. In the letter, Fairview h  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration has issued a notice regarding its final environmental actions for the Metro Blue Line Light Rail Extension Project in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The project will extend the Metro Blue Line by approximately 13.4 miles, connecting Downtown Minneapolis to the cities of Robbinsdale, Crystal and Brooklyn Park. The project is a collaboration between the Metropolitan Council, the City of Saint Paul and   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Rep. Brad Finstad, R-Minnesota, issued the following news release: * * * Finstad Leads Charge to Hold Minnesota Accountable on SNAP * WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Brad Finstad (MN-01), chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture, led his colleagues in sending a letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, raising serious concerns about the state's administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), consider  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following news release: * * * ICE St. Paul assists in arresting 2 Minnesota men for funding and directing kidnappings, bombings, and killings overseas * MINNEAPOLIS -- A federal grand jury has returned an eight-count indictment charging naturalized U.S. citizens Benedict Nwana Kuah, 51, and Pascal Kikishy Wongbi, 52, with organizing, directing, and financing kidnappings, bombings,  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: * * * Klobuchar Opening Remarks at Hearing on Meta's Neglect of Children's Online Safety * WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, delivered the following opening statement at the subcommittee hearing titled "Hidden Harms: Examining Whistleblower Allegations that Meta Buried Child Safety Research." Testifyi  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- The Minnesota Home Care Association (MHCA) has issued a public comment letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), urging the agency to halt proposed cuts to home health payment rates for the calendar year 2026. The association warns that these reductions could greatly threaten access to essential care and the financial sustainability of home health agencies. According to MHCA, CMS's projected 6.4% reduction in payments may, in reality, translate to an a  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (TNSFR) -- The Office of Personnel Management is abolishing the Hennepin, Minnesota, nonappropriated fund Federal Wage System wage area. The final rule will redefine most of the counties within that area to the nearest nonappropriated fund Federal Wage System wage areas. Counties that do not have nonappropriated fund Federal Wage System employment will no longer be part of a wage area. The changes were recommended by the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee due to a de  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minnesota, ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, issued the following news release on Sept. 9, 2025: * * * Ranking Member Angie Craig Opening Statement at Nutrition Subcommittee Hearing Today, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (MN-02) delivered the following opening statement at a Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee hearing titled "Exploring State Options in SNAP." [As prepared for delivery.] Thank you  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. McCollum Joins with Rep. Baird in Reintroducing the Bicarmeral and Bipartisan Part Act * Today, Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN), Chair of the U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conversation, Research, and Biotechnology, and Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Dean of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation, re-introduced the Preventing Auto Recycling Thefts (PART) Act to curb the theft of catalyt  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Restoring Law and Order: Trump's Crime Crackdown Delivers Immediate Results in the Nation's Capital * WASHINGTON -- After years of rising crime due to failed Democrat policies, President Donald Trump took decisive action in Washington, D.C. The results were immediate: homicides dropped, criminals were arrested, and law and order has been restored. "Criminals are enabled by soft on crime policies  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Rep.) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, issued the following news release: * * * Restoring Law and Order: Trump's Crime Crackdown Delivers Immediate Results in the Nation's Capital * WASHINGTON -- After years of rising crime due to failed Democrat policies, President Donald Trump took decisive action in Washington, D.C. The results were immediate: homicides dropped, criminals were arrested, and law and order has been restored. "Criminals are enabled by soft o  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 -- Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Senate Democratic Leadership Continues Unsustainable Obstruction of Law Enforcement Nominees * WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), for the second time in one week, requested unanimous consent to confirm 10 U.S. Attorney nominees who advanced the Judiciary Committee by a voice vote after intense bipartisan vetting in Committee. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Senate Passes Cramer, Schumer Bill Honoring 1980 Miracle on Ice Hockey Team * WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act today. This legislation honors the 1980 Olympic Men's Hockey Team's improbable victory over the four-time reigning champion Russian Olympic team. Against all odds, the American team of amateur collegiate hockey player  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: * * * Statement Condemning Israel's Illegal Strike on the Nation of Qatar * WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, issued the following statement on Tuesday in response to reports of an Israeli strike on Qatar: "I unequivocally condemn Israel's attack on Qatar, a neutral nation that has mediated peace talks for nearly two  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 -- Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, issued the following news release: * * * Thune: Democrats' Historic Obstruction Coming to an End * Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune's remarks below (as delivered): "Mr. President, 'for decades, Democrats and Republicans have regularly cooperated to swiftly confirm the many, many individuals selected by each   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 -- Sen. Tina Flint Smith, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: * * * U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Lead Push to Reinstate Energy Projects for Farmers, Small Businesses * Sixteen Senators are demanding the Trump Administration reverse canceling the bipartisan Rural Energy for America Program WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led fourteen colleagues in demanding the Tru  more