{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.smith.senate.gov/smith-klobuchar-celebrate-groundbreaking-of-blatnik-bridge-replacement/", "Smith, Klobuchar Celebrate Groundbreaking of Blatnik Bridge Replacement", "2026-08-31", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "MN", "Tina Smith", "S001203", "www.smith.senate.gov", "tinasmith", "https://www.smith.senate.gov/press-releases/", "scraper", "Sens. Smith & Klobuchar secured federal funding to reconstruct the bridge connecting Duluth and Superior, WI\n\nDULUTH, MN \u2014 U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) celebrated the groundbreaking of the Blatnik Bridge replacement project, after they secured federal funding for the bridge from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and successfully pressed the administration to release the funding so construction on the project could begin.\n\nThe Blatnik Bridge powers the regional economy with 33,000 vehicles crossing every day and $3.7 billion in goods transferred annually across the bridge between the Twin Ports. The reconstructed bridge is expected to be complete in 2031.\n\n\u201cThe Twin Ports are economic engines for the region, and that\u2019s only possible because the Blatnik Bridge is there to move people and cargo between Duluth and Superior,\u201d said Smith. \u201cThis new and improved bridge will pay dividends for the Northland and our entire state. I\u2019m grateful not only to the union workers who will build this bridge, but to everyone in the region who will put up with some construction delays while this incredible feat of engineering is completed.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor over 60 years, the Blatnik Bridge has connected commuters, businesses, and communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin, but it is in serious need of a replacement,\u201d said Klobuchar. \u201cA safe and reliable Blatnik Bridge is critical for Minnesota\u2019s economic future and for people across our entire region. We fought to secure this funding and then fought to make sure it was released, and now we are finally breaking ground on the new bridge our region needs. This project will improve safety and reliability and help keep our communities and economy moving for generations to come.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.smith.senate.gov/smith-klobuchar-celebrate-groundbreaking-of-blatnik-bridge-replacement/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6768239438533783, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}