Al Franken's Blog, page 45
September 2, 2014
RELEASE: Education Minnesota, Thousands of Teachers Line Up Behind Sen. Franken
“Minnesota teachers, students and families know that Senator Franken is working hard for them in the Senate,” said Education Minnesota President Denise Specht. “And his work to expand early childhood education and lower the cost of college is just the tip of the iceberg. Education Minnesota is proud to endorse Senator Franken so he can keep working hard for all Minnesotans.”
Today the Franken campaign launched “Teachers for Al,” a grassroots group of Minnesota teachers dedicated to organizing and talking to voters about the work Sen. Franken is doing on behalf of Minnesota students, teachers and families.
“Senator Franken’s fight to help expand access to early childhood education is critical to closing the achievement gap. Minnesota teachers know that Senator Franken works hard for them in the Senate and that’s why we need to make sure he wins re-election this November,” said Jessica Rask, a K-6 teacher who works at Roseville Area Schools.
“We need someone in the Senate who is going to stand up for middle class families. Senator Franken knows that lowering the cost of college would have a real impact on Minnesotans’ lives and is working hard to help students and teachers refinance their loans after they graduate at current lower rates. We need to make sure that Senator Franken can keep working hard for us,” said Monica Schliep, a 7th and 8th grade health teacher at Roseville Area Middle School.
In the Senate, Sen. Franken introduced key provisions to reform the “No Child Left Behind” law that give schools more flexibility in testing, strengthen the leadership of principals, create positive education opportunities for students in foster care, and ensure teachers won’t be pushed out of their schools to meet funding requirements. He is also working to close the achievement gap by expanding access to high-quality and cost-effective early childhood education programs.
As part of his efforts to help Minnesotans tackle college debt, he introduced a bill that would create a universal financial aid form so students and families can accurately compare financial aid packages from different schools and know exactly what college is going to cost them. He also introduced a bill that would let students and teachers refinance their public and private student loans at current lower rates. Over half a million Minnesotans could benefit from the lower interest rates in Sen. Franken’s bill.
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The post RELEASE: Education Minnesota, Thousands of Teachers Line Up Behind Sen. Franken appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
August 29, 2014
“A leader that young people can get behind”
Tiffany Xiong, Constituency Vote Coordinator
Samara, a loyal volunteer in St. Paul, loved organizing from day one. She has been busy working to get out the vote all summer on canvasses, in parades, and on the phones.
“There’s just too much at stake. This race is too important to not get involved.”
As a student herself, she knows all too well the mounting costs of her higher education. But she knows Al is working hard for Minnesota students like her – reaching across the aisle to help students better estimate the cost of college, and pushing to reduce the burden of student loan debt.
“As a student, his commitment to making college more affordable means quite a lot to me. He has consistently proven to be a leader that young people like myself can get behind.”
Samara hopes that more students and young leaders of color like herself will continue to get involved with Team Franken. You can join them at a Young Leaders of Color House Party today – or sign up to volunteer here.
The post “A leader that young people can get behind” appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
August 27, 2014
Notes from Al: Back to school
Al Franken
Sharpen your pencils and choose your lunchbox carefully: It’s back-to-school time here in Minnesota!
The first day of school is always exciting for students (maybe even a little overwhelming): new teachers, new subjects, new haircuts.
But Franni and I know that the day is even more exhilarating (and even more overwhelming) for parents and grandparents watching their suddenly-not-so-little ones take yet another step on their long educational journey.
The last thing these parents need is more worry — worry about whether their child will be safe at school, worry about whether he or she will be ready to get into a great college, and, of course, worry about how they’ll pay for that college.
As a Senator, I can’t help alleviate every worry a parent has when their child gets on that bus for the first day of school. No law can help make your son’s hair stop sticking out on photo day or help your daughter make the swim team.
But I am working hard to make their school a safer place, especially for LGBT students who are often the target of bullying and harassment. I’m working hard to support the teachers and other professionals who do so much for our kids (and, boy, do they deserve our support — and our thanks).
I’m also working hard to answer some of the difficult questions that this year’s incoming high school juniors and seniors are going to face about college. I think it should be easier for families to sit down and compare financial aid packages, apples to apples, so you understand what college is really going to cost.
And I’m fighting to bring that cost down, as well as to make it easier to deal with student debt so that graduates who have worked so hard aren’t bogged down as they enter the working world.
There’s nothing more important than our kids’ education. And as parents who have watched two of our own go off on a lot of first days of school (and grandparents eagerly awaiting little Joe’s first day of school in a few years), Franni and I want to wish you and your kids a great school year.
Help make sure Al can keep working hard for students in the Senate — pitch in $5 towards our grassroots campaign.
The post Notes from Al: Back to school appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
August 25, 2014
Did you see: “Family of Schellin visits his portrait in Pentagon”
Sara Cederberg, Digital Director
This is a pretty cool story: Al helped the family of Brainerd Air Force Sgt. Roy Schellin discover his previously unknown portrait that had been hung in the Pentagon Gallery for his distinguished service. The Brainerd Dispatch has the scoop:
With the help of Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., the family of a late Brainerd World War II veteran and war hero saw – for the first time Thursday – a portrait painted in 1944 to honor his heroism. The painting has hung for years in a Pentagon Gallery without the family’s knowledge and until recently when they visited the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., they had never seen it.
The portrait of Air Force Sgt. Roy Schellin, painted by prominent painter and muralist Charles Baskerville, has hung in the Pentagon as part of a collection celebrating war heroes for many years without his family knowing with certainty that it existed and was on display. Sen. Franken worked with Pentagon officials to confirm the portrait’s existence and to help arrange a visit by the family to see it, since it is located in an area of the Pentagon that is not generally open to the public.
Schellin earned both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart for shooting down two enemy fighters, even after losing the use of his right arm from wounds suffered during a 1943 air battle over France. He died in 2012 without having visited the painting at the Pentagon honoring his heroism.
In mid-March, Schellin’s daughter, Caralee Bjerkness of Brainerd, contacted Franken for help in finding out if the portrait existed and if it was on display in the Pentagon. Franken had his staff work with Pentagon officials who quickly confirmed that it is hanging in the Pentagon as part of the U.S. Air Force’s Art Collection.
“It was amazing to see the portrait of my father at the Pentagon,” said Bjerkness. “We were so happy that Sen. Franken could make such a memorable visit possible. It was a once in a lifetime experience.”
“I’m pleased that after all these years, Sgt. Schellin’s family was able to see the portrait that honors his heroism in World War II,” said Sen. Franken. “I was very excited when the Pentagon confirmed for me that the portrait does exist. This Minnesota veteran was a war hero and it was an honor to help ensure his family could view the portrait honoring his service.”
After leaving the Air Force and returning to Brainerd, Schellin was active in the Brainerd VFW.
The post Did you see: “Family of Schellin visits his portrait in Pentagon” appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
August 23, 2014
PHOTOS: Kicking off the Minnesota State Fair
Minnesota’s most important get-together — and certainly the greatest — kicked off Thursday. Over the course of the past couple days, Team Franken (and Al!) have been at the Minnesota State Fair to talk to supporters about what’s at stake in the election. Of course, it didn’t happen without plenty of fun and foods on a stick.
Check out the photos we just posted to Facebook below — and be sure to stop by our booth at the corner of Judson and Underwood if you’re at the Fair.
Post by Al Franken.
The post PHOTOS: Kicking off the Minnesota State Fair appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
August 22, 2014
Al takes on the #IceBucketChallenge
Sara Cederberg, Digital Director
This morning, Al accepted Governor Mark Dayton’s #IceBucketChallenge. You’ve got to see the results:
ALS — also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease — is a debilitating condition that can lead to the inability to control the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe — or death. Join the movement, and pitch in towards a cure: http://www.alsa.org/fight-als/ice-bucket-challenge.html.
The post Al takes on the #IceBucketChallenge appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
August 18, 2014
Join #TeamFranken at the State Fair!
Josh Nussbaum, Field Director
Did you see Al’s email to supporters on Friday? We have a huge opportunity to engage voters at the Minnesota State Fair — and we need your help!
Dear Josh,
There are emails with hard asks (I’m sure you’re familiar with this kind), and then there are emails with easy asks.
This is an email with an easy ask: We’re looking for a few good volunteers to help us out at the Minnesota State Fair between August 21st and September 1st.
If you’re interested, just click here and we’ll fill you in on all the details.
What does volunteering at the Great Minnesota Get-Together entail? You’ll be talking to friendly fairgoers, helping them register to vote, sharing information about our campaign, and inviting them to get involved.
It’s so easy, you can do it with a pork chop on a stick in your hand (although it might be more polite to finish your pork chop before you start talking to voters).
And, like everything else at the State Fair, volunteering with our campaign is a lot of fun.
Just click here if you’re interested in being part of our State Fair team!
Thanks — and I’ll see you at the Fair.
Al
P.S.: This ask is so easy, I don’t even need to include an extra one in the P.S. But I will anyway: Click here to join our State Fair team!
The post Join #TeamFranken at the State Fair! appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
August 15, 2014
Notes from Al: Michael Brown
Al Franken
Michael Brown’s death was a tragedy, and my heart breaks for his family and for his community.
But Michael’s family and the people of Ferguson deserve more than our condolences. They deserve answers. They deserve justice. And, as they exercise their right to assemble and protest, they deserve far better than the excessive use of force that only intensified the frustration and anger of those in the community and those of us around the country who were shocked by Michael’s death.
I am thankful that the State of Missouri has stepped in to stop that abuse, albeit a few days too late. But that’s not enough. We need to demand a full and transparent investigation. And we need to confront the sad legacy of our nation’s racial history, a legacy that endures in our justice system.
Doing so won’t bring Michael back. But his family, the community of Ferguson, and all of us who believe in the promise of equal justice under the law deserve nothing less.
The post Notes from Al: Michael Brown appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
Michael Brown
Al Franken
Michael Brown’s death was a tragedy, and my heart breaks for his family and for his community.
But Michael’s family and the people of Ferguson deserve more than our condolences. They deserve answers. They deserve justice. And, as they exercise their right to assemble and protest, they deserve far better than the excessive use of force that only intensified the frustration and anger of those in the community and those of us around the country who were shocked by Michael’s death.
I am thankful that the State of Missouri has stepped in to stop that abuse, albeit a few days too late. But that’s not enough. We need to demand a full and transparent investigation. And we need to confront the sad legacy of our nation’s racial history, a legacy that endures in our justice system.
Doing so won’t bring Michael back. But his family, the community of Ferguson, and all of us who believe in the promise of equal justice under the law deserve nothing less.
The post Michael Brown appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
August 14, 2014
Did you see: “Family of New Ulm vet who committed suicide urges reforms”
Sara Cederberg, Digital Director
The Mankato Free Press has the story of a roundtable discussion Al attended with Representative Tim Walz in Mankato. They met with the family of New Ulm veteran Liam Kelly, who committed suicide on June 30.
The parents of the New Ulm veteran who committed suicide June 30 shared details leading up to their son’s death publicly for the first time Wednesday during a discussion of possible veteran suicide prevention legislation.
Wendy Kube and Sean Kelly, the parents of Liam Kelly, said their son gave no warning signs just before his death and had an extensive support system of family and friends. They said he even temporarily checked himself into the local hospital for treatment. In fact, they said he counseled some fellow veterans out of contemplating suicide.
Congressional lawmakers Rep. Tim Walz and Sen. Al Franken took comments from Kelly’s family and local veteran advocates at the Morson-Ario VFW in Mankato about possible refinements to the proposed Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act.
The legislation seeks to prevent the “improper” discharge of veterans with PSTD or TBI symptoms, implement rigorous reviews of veteran mental health services and integrate approaches for making mental health care more accessible to veterans. The law is named after Clay Hunt, a former Marine who took his own life in 2011 after returning from two combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“This is the first big step past the (recently passed) VA reform legislation,” Walz said.
The group suggested finding a way for the hospital to notify family or veteran leaders when a veteran enters for treatment. The group said the current systems have effectively no follow-ups to such incidents. Franken noted hospital staff was also unaware of VA mental health treatments available to veterans they treat.
Kelly’s family said they believe these proposals would have helped their son. Sean Kelly said the Clay Hunt legislation is worth passing even if it only saves one veteran from suicide.
“I would have rather had my son killed while deployed than have this happen to him. It sucks to say it. But it’s true,” Sean Kelly said.
Walz said the necessary resources to help veterans exist, but veterans are not being made aware of them because different sides of the system are not communicating.
The post Did you see: “Family of New Ulm vet who committed suicide urges reforms” appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
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