The legislation is meant to help homeowners refinance their mortgages to keep their homes and save money. Sen. Al Franken says "the federal government should be making it easier to refinance, not creating additional hurdles." The Minnesota Democrat plans to introduce the legislation on Monday.

Sen. Al Franken expressed new concerns Thursday about how closely mobile phone companies track smart phone usage. He believes that companies may be tracking things such as the number of text messages a user receives and what phone numbers they dial.

Democratic U.S. Senator Al Franken, who sits on the Education Committee, says he'll work with the Obama administration to develop a Financial Aid Shopping Sheet to help students compare the cost of attending various colleges.

The U.S. Senate is nearing a vote on whether to extend the current payroll tax into next year. Sen. Al Franken says not renewing would create $1,000 in additional taxes for the average Minnesota family. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann says the tax cuts have punched a hole in the federal budget and threaten programs like Social Security.