Senate Republicans remove Refinery Safety language from Jobs Bill

In a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee meeting Monday, Senate Republicans stripped language from the omnibus jobs bill requiring petroleum refineries to employ only skilled and highly trained workers. The removal of the provision comes despite the overwhelming bipartisan support of the amendment on the floor, which was adopted last Friday on a vote of 50 to 17. 

In response, Senate DFL Leader Senator Susan Kent (DFL-Woodbury) and Senator Karla Bigham (DFL-Cottage Grove) released the following joint statement:

“The safety of our communities and workers should always be our highest priority, and their safety should never become a political pawn to be traded during end of session deal making. Today’s vote is only the latest in a pattern we’ve seen all session, where transparency and the public’s voice is ignored to appease special interest groups. Minnesotans lose when bipartisan legislation that is in the public interest can be pulled out on a whim. Safety for our communities and workers must be our priority, and not a game.”

Senator Susan Kent
Susan Kent represents District 53 in the eastern Twin Cities metropolitan area.

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Senator Karla Bigham
Karla Bigham represents District 54 in the southeast Twin Cities metro, including parts of Dakota and Washington counties.

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