Al Franken's Blog, page 50
June 8, 2014
It’s time to lower student loan rates
Sara Cederberg, Digital Director
Student loan debt continues to rise — and while Washington took action to lower student loan rates for new borrowers, the same was not applied to the millions of people still stuck with existing high interest rate loans. That’s why Al is working with his colleagues to make sure current student loan holders in Minnesota and across the country can refinance their loans at lower rates.
Check out the message he sent to supporters this morning:
Dear friend,
I remember what it was like to graduate college. All bright-eyed and ready to face the world.
Yes, that’s really me. A lot has changed since I graduated, and I’m not just talking about hairstyles.
The cost of college continues to rise — and we must do everything we can do to make sure that the chance at a college education doesn’t float out of reach for middle-class families. We can do a lot to make financing a college education more affordable — and we can do it right now, with your help.
Last year Congress lowered student loan interest rates for new borrowers. But what it didn’t do was apply that same fairness to people who already have student loans — right now, they’re still stuck with the old, higher rates, and that’s holding back an entire generation.
Every cent that current student loan holders pay in interest is a cent that doesn’t go toward a down payment on a house, or into a new small business. They deserve to be able to refinance their loans at the same rates Congress gave to new borrowers.
Add your name to our petition and help us make it happen.
Thanks for your support.
Al
If you haven’t already – add your name in support of giving students and their families a fair shot to afford a college education without crushing debt.
The post It’s time to lower student loan rates appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
June 7, 2014
Al’s DFL Convention Speech
Team Franken
If you couldn’t make it to Duluth last weekend, you can watch Al’s speech on YouTube now.
Fired up? Yeah, we are too. Sign up to volunteer now.
The post Al’s DFL Convention Speech appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
June 5, 2014
MinnPost: Franken pushes ban on ‘stalking apps’
Franken held a hearing of his Privacy, Technology and the Law panel on Wednesday to discuss the bill, an updated version of legislation he introduced last session. Franken said the bill would ban location-based apps specifically designed to allow users to stalk other people’s locations in secret, force apps to get a user’s permission before collecting their location data and require popular apps to report the data they’re collecting and who’s using it.
Franken said he was inspired to write the bill a couple years ago after hearing about stalking problems from the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women, which highlighted a northern Minnesota woman whose abusive partner used a GPS-based app to track her movements at a courthouse. He cited a report that found more than 70 percent of domestic violence victim support groups had dealt with victims of stalking apps.
“In most of these cases, the perpetrator was arrested because it’s illegal to stalk someone,” he said. “But it’s not clearly illegal to make and market and sell a stalking app. And so nothing happened to the companies making money off of stalking. Nothing happened to the stalking. My bill would shut down these apps once and for all.”
Brian Hill, a detective with the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, said he has seen an “exponential” increase in the number of digital stalking investigations his office has undertaken over the last two years. He said his office averages 30 such “forensic examinations” every month.
The post MinnPost: Franken pushes ban on ‘stalking apps’ appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
June 3, 2014
Watch Al’s convention video
Team Franken
In case you missed it—Team Franken just got back from thrilling trip to Duluth, where Al received the Minnesota DFL endorsement at the 2014 convention.
Before Al took the stage, we shared a video with delegates and supporters that we’re all really proud of. Check it out:
Let’s keep this momentum that Al needs to win going. Sign up volunteer today.
The post Watch Al’s convention video appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
June 2, 2014
“I’m just getting started.”
Sara Cederberg, Digital Director
Al electrified supporters at the Minnesota DFL Party Convention with a speech he gave following his endorsement—and the photos say it all:
The post “I’m just getting started.” appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
May 31, 2014
PHOTOS: 2014 DFL State Convention
Matt Burgess, Campaign Manager
The Minnesota DFL State Convention is going really well. Everyone is fired up about Al’s speech later.
He’ll be going on in a bit. Check out the photos from the day so far:
Disappointed you can’t be here in Duluth? The next best thing is signing up to volunteer with Team Franken today.
The post PHOTOS: 2014 DFL State Convention appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
Up in Duluth
Sara Cederberg, Digital Director
Did you see Al’s message to supporters this morning? He’s up in Duluth, and will receive the Minnesota DFL Party endorsement this afternoon.
I’m very, very excited about today.
I’ll be at the Minnesota DFL State Convention in Duluth today. I get to meet a bunch of dedicated supporters and talk about the issues. I even get to give a speech.
And, on top of that, our network is going to reach our $200,000 May goal today. Well, we will if we can raise the last $17,452 before midnight.
With a new super PAC with nothing to do but try to defeat me, new ads up all over Minnesota — we really need to reach this goal. Before midnight tonight, give $5 — or more, if you can — to help us reach $200,000.
If you’ve saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:
Thanks for your help.
Al
P.S. After the convention, we’ll be in the thick of this race from now until November. Help us get off on the right foot by pitching in $5 to help us reach our May fundraising goal.
The post Up in Duluth appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
May 30, 2014
Five years in, Franken’s approach wins over skeptical Senate
At first, Al Franken couldn’t stop talking about the porridge.
“I loved it. I can’t eat it anymore. I OD’d on it,” Franken quipped as visitors noshed recently on Mahnomin porridge, made with Minnesota wild rice, during one of his weekly Capitol Hill constituent breakfasts.
Franken’s food commentary, though, quickly gave way to policy talk. He explained to the visiting Minnesotans what he was working on, took questions and then stood for photos with anybody who wanted one.
It was a picture of a perfectly ordinary senator, an image Franken has worked hard to maintain since he took office in 2009. It may also be an extended response to the charges in his first campaign that the former actor and comedian was not really serious about politics and lacked the qualifications for Congress.
On Saturday, Democrats at their state convention in Duluth will endorse Franken for a second term in the U.S. Senate, a job he won by just 312 votes in 2008 after a six month recount and legal battle. Five years after taking office, Franken is confident his record will win him another term.
“I think the people of Minnesota have gotten to know me and know that I’m serious and know that I work hard,” he said. “I think that’s something they were skeptical about six years ago, and I guess had a reason to be. ‘Comedian’ was thrown around a lot. I think it’s different this time.”
It’s not just Minnesotans Franken has had to convince.
Perhaps more than most new senators, Franken has had to prove himself to fellow lawmakers. But he’s won over one of the Senate’s most curmudgeonly members, Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley, with whom Franken serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“I know that he came to the Senate with the allegation of being a comedian,” Grassley said. “I don’t mean that to denigrate it as an allegation, but he was a comedian. But I can say that I think he’s worked hard to show that he’s a serious legislator.”
The post Five years in, Franken’s approach wins over skeptical Senate appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
May 29, 2014
It’s official!
Sara Cederberg, Digital Director
ICYMI—today, Al filed his papers at the Secretary of State office in St. Paul. He was joined by his second half, Franni.
Big news: I just filed my papers, which means I’m officially on the ballot. -Al #mnsen pic.twitter.com/8smZ31AwQO
— Al Franken (@alfranken) May 29, 2014
Let’s go win this thing. Sign up to volunteer now.
The post It’s official! appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
May 28, 2014
Albert Lea Tribune: Franken calls for improved rural rail service
Area agricultural leaders shared their concerns with U.S. Sen. Al Franken on Wednesday about the effects poor rail service is having on their industry.
Meeting at the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce in Northbridge Mall, about a handful of representatives from grain and rural energy cooperatives talked about how the delays in rail service are having a domino effect on many businesses and ultimately increasing prices for the consumer.
Several said farmers are trying to ship grain from last year in anticipation of a record crop this year, but the rail line is backed up.
“We’ve got some real issues here,” said Franken, DFL-Minneapolis.
The post Albert Lea Tribune: Franken calls for improved rural rail service appeared first on U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota -- Official Campaign Website.
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