Latest Releases
Senator Smith and Representative Omar Reintroduce No Shame at School Act
WASHINGTON– Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) announced the reintroduction of the No Shame at School Act, a bill aimed at ending lunch shaming practices in schools nationwide. The No Shame at School Act would prohibit school districts from publicly identifying or shaming students who are unable to pay for school meals. It also bans schools from hiring debt collectors to recover unpaid school meal debt.The legislation requires schools to attempt to directly certify children with unpaid meal debt for free or reduced-price meals and allows schools to be retroactively reimbursed for meals served to these children. “No child should have to go through the experience of being shamed at school for an unpaid lunch bill,” said Senator Smith. “I’m so proud of the work Minnesota has done to address this issue through universal school lunches, but there are too many places around the country where we still see this happening. We need to set our children up for success in school, and making sure kids get the school lunches they need without being made to feel ashamed or embarrassed is an important part of that success.” “In Minnesota, we have already implemented universal school meals and are leading the charge to remove school lunch shaming,” said Rep. Omar, a member of the Committee on Education and Workforce. “It’s time for the rest of the nation to follow suit. Every child deserves to learn and grow without the pangs of hunger or the fear of being
Bipartisan Momentum Builds for Warehouse Worker Protection Act
Washington (September 25, 2024) – U.S. Senator Tina Smith, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee, along with Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Bob Casey (D-PA), applauded the bipartisan momentum behind the Warehouse Worker Protection Act, legislation that would protect warehouse workers by prohibiting dangerous work speed quotas that lead to high rates of worker injuries. The legislation as re-introduced includes new enforcement authority for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as well as an exemption for small businesses. Senators Smith, Markey, and Casey, first introduced the Warehouse Worker Protection Act in May. “The Warehouse Worker Protection Act is about protecting the health and dignity of workers from the scourge of corporate greed at Amazon and other large companies,” said Senator Markey. “This movement is strong and growing, and we will not rest until warehouse workers know when they clock in that they will return home unharmed.” “Corporations too often prioritize profit over their workers’ safety and well-being, treating them like cogs in a machine. It has to stop. This legislation combats the warehouse industry’s worst practices while ensuring corporations do right by their employees in treating them with the dignity they deserve,” said Senator Hawley. “The momentum to protect workers is growing. These big companies hold a lot of power, they are literally controlling the lives of workers minute by minute with their productivity metrics and quotas,” said Senator Smith. “With this bill, we are saying, enough is enough. We’re putting accountability into this system and power back in the hands of workers
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Fellow Electrification Caucus Co-Chairs Calling On President Biden To Achieve True Energy Independence With Electrification And Clean Energy
WASHINGTON [4.1.22] – The Co-Chairs of the Electrification Caucus – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), along with U.S. Representatives Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) – released the following statement in response to President Biden’s latest proposals to address the energy price hikes brought on by Vladimir Putin’s unjustified war in Ukraine: “Increasing our deployment of clean energy and adoption of energy-efficient electric heating and cooling systems is a national security issue, and it has become a global security imperative with Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine. While it is important to take short-term measures
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Extend Student Loan Payment Pause, and Ultimately Cancel Student Debt
Washington, D.C. – United States Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined nearly 100 members of Congress in a letter to President Biden urging the administration to extend the pause on federally held student loan payments until at least the end of the year, and urged the administration to provide meaningful student debt cancellation. “Given the fast-approaching deadline for borrowers to resume payments, your administration must act as quickly as possible to extend the pause and make clear to the American public your intention to cancel a meaningful amount of student debt. We look forward to supporting your administration in getting it done,”
Sen. Smith, Senate Colleagues Call on Regulators to Focus on Lending to Main Street
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/31/22]— U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues in a letter to the Federal Reserve Board, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Credit Union Administration, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, urging them to work with banks and credit unions to ensure small businesses have access to safe and sound credit as Main Street recovers from COVID-19. “Recent research by the Federal Reserve System found that less than one-third of small businesses that applied for traditional financing in 2021 received all the funding they sought compared to recent years,” wrote the lawmakers. “…Banks are choosing to lend to bigger firms, and
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Hearing On Impact of Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill on Small Cities, Rural Areas
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/31/22]—Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) – Chair of the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development (HTCD) – announced she will be leading a hearing on the bipartisan infrastructure law’s effect on smaller cities and rural areas. The hearing will take place on April 6, 2022 at 2:30 pm ET. The hearing will examine the benefits of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act for smaller transit systems with a particular focus on how the Department of Transportation can most effectively implement the law in small and rural communities. Witnesses include: Mr. Ryan Daniel, Chief Executive Officer, St. Cloud
English