Al Franken's Blog, page 144

12 Fox: Franken Wants To Re-Authorize Older American's Act

Senator Franken is working on re-authorizing the Older American's Act.Members of Franken's team will be out all across the state beginning this week to meet with senior citizens about their concerns.Sen. Al Franken says, "We know that seniors in Minnesota have a lot of needs and we wanna hear from them about retirement security, about staying in their homes….

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Brainerd Dispatch: Franken's staff to meet with seniors in Brainerd

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) announced his staff will be in Brainerd at 2 p.m. July 16 at the Lakes Area Senior Center, 803 Kingwood St., Brainerd to meet with area senior citizens about the unique challenges they face in their retirement years.

Franken said the input from Minnesotans at these meetings will be valuable as the Senate takes up the Older Americans Act next year.

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St. Cloud Times: Franken staff plans St. Cloud visit

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12 Fox: Franken Visits Laos

Sen. Al Franken is voicing concern over the treatment of 4,500 Hmong refugees forced from Thailand to Laos last December. Franken went to Laos this week to observe their living conditions and voiced disappointment with the access he received during his trip. He did take a helicopter tour of the village for refugees, and spoke to a group of about 150 Hmong.

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AFP: US urges Laos to release 158 Hmong refugees

HANOI — The United States has urged Laos to allow 158 minority Hmong people, who are internationally recognised as refugees, to leave the country, a US senator said Wednesday after talks in the communist nation.

Senator Al Franken said he spoke "at some length" during his visit to the country this week with the Laotian deputy foreign minister.

"We certainly urged them to get the documents of these 158 people so they can go to the countries the UN said they can go to," Franken, of Minnesota...

Inforum: He's no joke: Franken marks anniversary in Senate with confidence

WASHINGTON – One year ago, watchful eyes – some skeptically – were on Al Franken as he made the transition from being a former "Saturday Night Live" staple to becoming Minnesota's freshman U.S. senator.

Many, from national political pundits to average Minnesotans, wondered what to make of the comedian-turned-lawmaker and how the Democrat might approach his role among the powerful elite in the U.S. Congress.

But such doubts have dissipated as Franken demonstrates a focused approach to lawmaking ...

MinnPost: One year in the Senate: How's Franken doing?

WASHINGTON — Debate on the health care bill was coming to a close on a cold day in December when a senator speaking on the floor overshot his allotted time.

The man occupying the chair's seat that day was a Democratic freshman, who had arrived in Washington some months earlier after besting a Republican incumbent in a tough, bitter race. The health care bill was in a race against the clock; required cloture motions needed to be squeezed in so a vote could take place in time for lawmakers to...

MinnPost: Franken speaks with repatriated Hmong in Laos, but says access was restricted

WASHINGTON — Sen. Al Franken met with a group of about 150 repatriated Hmong in Laos today in a village built by the Laotian government for them.

"I went there today to see their circumstances now," Franken said, and to "let them know that we in the United States care about their fate and their conditions." About 4,500 Hmong have been repatriated to Laos, despite concerns from many in Minnesota and other Hmong-heavy populations that they could face political persecution.

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MPR: Franken visits Laos to see repatriated Hmong refugees

St. Paul, Minn. — Senator Al Franken is in Southeast Asia Tuesday where he said Laotian officials prevented him from seeing first-hand how 4,500 forcibly-repatriated Hmong refugees there are living.

Minnesota has one of the largest Hmong populations in the nation. Franken traveled to Laos to check on the refugees and their living conditions.

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MPR: Looking back at Franken's first year as senator

St. Paul, Minn. — One year ago, Democrat Al Franken was finally sworn in as Minnesota's newest U.S. Senator after a nine-month long recount and legal battle. The Minnesota Supreme Court determined Franken defeated Republican Senator Norm Coleman by just 312 votes.

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"My whole goal has been to be an effective member of the Senate for the people of Minnesota," Franken said. "That's really been my goal, and to come up with commons sense solutions to problems and to fight for working people...