Priorities

Rooting out fraud starts with a top-to-bottom audit of state government that Klobuchar will launch on Day One. Klobuchar will stop fraud before it starts by vetting grants and contracts before funds are awarded, freezing suspicious payments before money goes out the door, and increasing oversight with in-person inspections and unannounced visits. And she will hold people accountable by strengthening criminal penalties and sending those who commit fraud to jail.

Klobuchar will also make government more effective. That includes cutting through the red tape that slows everything down, and streamlining and consolidating services. If something works, keep it. If it’s broken, fix it or get rid of it. Klobuchar will also streamline Minnesota’s permitting process and allow Minnesotans to track applications or routine requests of our government in real time, just like you track a package. If it’s not decided or processed by a deadline, Minnesotans should get their money back. Read More

Minnesota brought the world everything from the pacemaker to the Post-It Note. We must continue to be a state that makes stuff, invents things, and exports to the world. We have a strong foundation with 18 Fortune 500 companies and 500,000 small businesses, but we cannot rest on our laurels. Klobuchar will make it easier to start a business, build and expand a business, and bring good-paying jobs to our state.

Klobuchar will also work to expand Minnesota’s workforce and prepare it for the future. That starts with K–12 education, where she will bring student achievement up and screen time in the classroom down. Klobuchar will build on-ramps to good jobs by adding 10,000 registered apprenticeships and skills training opportunities, and working with colleges, businesses, and labor unions to expand pipelines to jobs in education, health care, public safety, and emerging industries. Because Minnesotans willing to work should have a path to success. Read More

On health care, Klobuchar will work to bring down the cost of premiums by blocking unfair insurance rate hikes, extending reinsurance and creating a state tax credit if the federal government won’t act. It also means building on her years of fighting — and beating — Big Pharma to lower prescription drug prices by expanding state bulk purchasing of drugs and making lower-cost generics and biosimilars more available. And it means protecting access to care by expanding our health care workforce and supporting rural and safety net hospitals. Read More

Klobuchar will make housing more affordable by working with the private sector to build 100,000 more homes — from apartments to single-family houses. She will make it easier to build homes by reforming permitting and working with cities and towns to set clear timelines for decisions. She will support renters and new homeowners by banning price-fixing algorithms and simplifying access to assistance for paying rent or buying a first home. And Klobuchar will remove barriers to manufactured homes and address the rural housing shortage. Read More

Minnesota families deserve child care that is safe, affordable, and high-quality. Klobuchar will work with child care providers, employers, and schools to support innovative models, build new facilities, and expand the child care workforce. She will streamline child care aid into one easy-to-use system. And she will also consolidate duplicative programs and increase transparency by setting clear goals for school readiness. Read More