Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce New Medicare-funded Residency Slots for Minnesota, Addressing Physician Workforce Shortage
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced additional medical residency slots in five Minnesota teaching hospitals. The slots were created in the 2022 budget law supported by both Senators. The law authorized funding 1,000 new residency slots across the country over a five-year period to combat the nation’s physician shortage by training new providers. 69 of Minnesota’s 87 counties are health professional shortage areas, and nearly 30% of Minnesota physicians are within retirement range. 200 additional slots are awarded funding every year, and these five Minnesota hospitals were selected for the most recent round: “Hospitals across Minnesota face a shortage of physicians, which is why I worked to secure this federal funding to invest in our state’s healthcare workforce. This funding means we can develop talent right here in Minnesota to better meet the needs of patients and to strengthen our healthcare system,” said Senator Klobuchar. “We need to train more physicians, simple as that. This is a good start. I’m glad we were able to secure funding for additional residencies at five hospitals in Minnesota this year,” said Senator Smith. “We pride ourselves on providing world class health care in our state, but that’s only possible thanks to the incredible physicians and physicians-in-training who work here. We need to support them, and part of that means making sure we are training enough doctors to handle patient demand without burning out our physicians. This funding gets us one step closer to making that a reality.” “This new funding
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Helps Introduce Legislation to Clean Up Toxins Within Schools
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Health and Education Committee, introduced the Get Toxic Substances Out of Schools Act to remove toxic substances from school buildings across the country. The legislation, unveiled on World Children’s Day, comes on the heels of a report from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) that found less than half of public schools in the state were tested for radon between 2018 and 2022. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and occurs more frequently in Minnesota due to the state’s geology. The bill was led by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) in the Senate and Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04) in the House of Representatives. “Schools are places for our kids to learn and grow. Minnesota parents shouldn’t have to worry about whether the classrooms and schools they send their kids to are free from harmful pollution with negative health effects like radon,” said Senator Smith, a member of the Senate Health and Education Committee. “The report by the Minnesota Department of Health on radon in schools is concerning and shows that we need to do more to make sure our kids stay healthy when they’re at school, and this bill would help with that work.” “Safe and healthy learning environments are an essential component of student success,” said Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Willie Jett. “Just as having great teachers can inspire a student to be engaged in learning and prepared for career or college, having clean air to breathe sets them
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Secure $4+ Million for Tribal Nations
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/06/22]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that they have secured $4,199,000 for Minnesota Tribal Nations. These funds will support the communities of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, and Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. “This federal funding will have a real impact for Minnesota’s Tribal Nations. From supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs to strengthening public safety infrastructure and increasing energy efficiency, these projects will address key issues impacting our Native communities on a daily basis. I am proud to have worked with Tribal leaders
Sens. Smith, Cotton and Reps. Craig, Mullin Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Boost U.S. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
WASHINGTON [4.5.22]– Today, Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) introduced bipartisan legislation to reduce dependence on foreign pharmaceutical manufacturing and boost production in the U.S. The pandemic has exposed our nation’s dependence on other countries for essential prescription drugs. Seventy-two percent of key pharmaceutical ingredients come from overseas, threatening the security of the supply chain and leading to shortages of essential prescription drugs. In fact, 29 of the 40 critical drugs for COVID-19 patients were in shortage at the start of the pandemic. The American Made Pharmaceuticals Act would
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,”
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