WASHINGTON — Minnesota’s congressional delegation is seeking millions of dollars in special funding for local projects despite growing doubt they will survive.
Those projects, known as earmarks, are supported by both Democrats and Republicans, even among the toughest GOP budget cutters.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar has submitted 290 requests for funding for a wide array of road and water and sewer projects, police and fire stations and other local projects. MinnPost data reporter Shadi Bushra determined the Democratic senator’s requested projects would cost a total of nearly $890 million.
They include more than $3.9 million for the expansion and renovation of a YMCA in Alexandria: $3 million for a fire hall in Spring Grove; $6 million for a new police station in Le Sueur, and $7 million for a new building at St. Paul’s Como Park Zoo.
Klobuchar also asked for $73 million for a new lock and dam system in Richmond Township that would be constructed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers; $8 million for the replacement of bridges in Lakeville; $8.6 million to rehabilitate the “iconic” Hennepin Avenue suspension bridge in Minneapolis, and much, much more.
“From upgrading critical infrastructure and improving public safety to investing in childcare, I worked with local leaders across the state to secure this important funding ,” Klobuchar said in an emailed statement. “Once completed, these projects will improve the quality of life for Minnesotans.”
Sen. Tina Smith’s 289 requests include $3 million to improve a sanitary system in Plummer, $6.6 million for a new emergency services center in Paynesville and $17 million for a flood prevention program to prevent flooding of “valuable agricultural land” in Marshall County.
Smith also requested $25 million for a new well and expansion of a wastewater treatment pond in Dennison; $1.9 million to fund a commercial truck driving program at Minnesota State College in Winona and $9 million for a new recycling center in Columbia Heights.
Bushra determined Smith’s earmark requests totaled nearly $958 million.
Related from March 2025: Minnesota cities, towns, nonprofits denied millions of dollars in earmarks
U.S. House members are also requesting earmarks.
Although the Senate this week worked to push forward appropriations bills which would allow for many of the nearly 14,000 requests submitted in that chamber alone — it’s likely Congress won’t be able to pass all, and maybe even any, of the spending bills that fund the federal government.
So, the likelihood of a stopgap funding bill that would not have earmarks but would keep the government running past the end of the federal fiscal year, Sept. 30, is growing. So is the likelihood of a shutdown.
Last year, hundreds of millions of dollars in earmark appeals Minnesota’s federal lawmakers fell victim to Congress’ inability to approve appropriations bills.
Earmarks were banned in 2011, victims of a series of scandals and an anti-spending movement fueled by the Tea Party, which considered such projects wasteful “pork.”
But proponents pushed for their return, arguing that they account for a tiny fraction of the federal budget, help to fund much-needed projects and foster consensus-building and bipartisanship in Congress as lawmakers across the political spectrum work toward common goals.
So, earmarks were resurrected in 2022, in a limited way. Renamed “community funding projects,” lawmakers were required to certify that neither they nor their immediate families have any financial interest in projects they requested and to make their requests public.
‘Liberation Day’ is here (maybe)
Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-3rd District, joined other Democrats this week in warning of the dangers of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which continued to cause confusion as the Aug. 1 deadline for imposing the new levies came into focus.
She traveled to small businesses across her district this week to discuss “the devastating consequences these reckless tariffs will have on their businesses and costs for consumers,” a release from the lawmaker’s office said.
“Over the past few months I’ve heard from countless small business owners who are terrified about what Trump’s tariffs will mean for their businesses,” Morrison said in a video she posted on X.
Trump backed off his threat of 50% levies on imported copper, exempting refined metals, which are the mainstay of international trading. That resulted in a plunge in U.S. prices for copper.
Trump also gave Mexico another extension from the imposition of his “Liberation Day” tariffs and cut a deal with the European Commission to drop proposed tariffs on European Union countries from 30% threatened months ago to 15%.
Other deals announced in recent days have been with Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
Brazil will be hit by 40% tariffs, but many Brazilian products, including orange juice, will be exempt.
When Trump initially paused his plan to impose “reciprocal” tariffs on friends and foes in April, his top trade advisor, Peter Navarro, promised the president was going to achieve “90 (trade) deals in 90 days.”
But that was more than 100 days ago and only two deals have been finalized, one of which is with China and that agreement expires in two weeks.
All the other deals the Trump administration has announced have been essentially rough drafts — none have been finalized.
Meanwhile, judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit who heard a case this week on the legality of the proposed levies were skeptical that Trump can use emergency powers and bypass Congress to impose tariffs.
Still, the threat of tariffs, as well as increased inflation in June, provoked the Federal Reserve to continue to freeze interest rates.
In case you missed it:
- Data reporter Shadi Bushra reported on why there is a nearly unprecedented number of special elections to seats in the state legislature this year. The state hasn’t seen that many special elections — six — since 1994.
- President Trump’s pick to be the next U.S. Attorney in Minnesota, veteran attorney Daniel Rosen, had bipartisan support for his candidacy in a key committee. But his confirmation is hostage to a very partisan fight in the Senate over fast tracking some of Trump’s nominees.
- Reporter Matthew Blake wrote about a little noticed immigration-related provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that would strip Medicaid and other government health care services from refugees and others granted asylum status.
- President Trump attacked the Minnesota Star Tribune’s coverage of his immigration policies just days after Rep. Tom Emmer did the same as the president continues to put Minnesota officials, agencies and institutions in the bull’s eye.
This and that
A reader asked “how is it possible that Ghislaine Maxwell is the only one serving time in prison for the entire Epstein saga?”
“Congress should fully investigate the Epstein case since Trump’s Justice Department can’t be trusted to do so,” the reader added.
Please keep your comments, and any questions, coming. I’ll try my best to respond. Please contact me at aradelat@minnpost.com.
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