Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Legislation to End Veteran Homelessness Nationwide
Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chair of the Senate Housing Subcommittee, introduced the Housing for All Veterans Act, legislation that would help bring an effective end to veteran homelessness. Minnesota is on the cusp of ending veteran homelessness, and nationwide levels of homelessness among former service members have been cut in half in the fifteen years since the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs launched the first-ever strategic plan to prevent and end the scourge of veteran homelessness in America. This legislation would help get us the rest of the way there and prevent veteran homelessness going forward. “We promise our veterans that we will take care of them after their service to our nation. But every day that we have veterans struggling to find a safe, affordable place to live, we’re failing them,” said Senator Smith. “Guaranteeing housing for low-income veterans shouldn’t be optional. It should a promise fulfilled for every veteran, to bring them home. We’ve made some great progress in solving veteran homelessness in the last fifteen years – Minnesota especially. But the Housing for All Veterans Act would finish the job and ensure every veteran has a roof over their heads.” “Our country continues to face a crisis of housing affordability,” said Kathryn Monet, CEO of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. “NCHV is thankful for Senator Smith’s leadership to address this crisis head on for veterans facing housing instability. Subsidies are a crucial support and we urge Congress to act upon this bill as a downpayment toward a world where affordable housing is available for all Americans.” “This legislation addresses the root cause of housing affordability, providing our veterans with a long-term, sustainable
U.S Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, Colleagues Press Postal Service for Details on How Facility Consolidation Could Impact On-Time Delivery of Mail-In Ballots
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) joined 17 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy requesting information about how the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) plans to ensure the timely delivery of mail-in ballots throughout the ongoing 2024 election cycle and beyond. The request comes in light of USPS facility consolidations initiated under DeJoy, which have been temporarily paused following outcry from people all across the country as well as Congressional leaders. Through this process, USPS has greenlit the downgrading of 56 of 59 selected postal facilities nationwide — including in Minnesota. “USPS serves an essential function in American elections. On a nonpartisan basis, it securely processes, transports, and delivers election mail, including ballots. In 2020, the Postal Service overcame a series of challenges, including the onset of a global pandemic, to fulfill this critical mission. Impressively, it delivered 97.9% of ballots within three days, even as a record number of Americans voted by mail. For the 2022 midterm elections, USPS maintained this standard of excellence and delivered 98.96% of ballots within three days,”wrote the senators. “We applaud these achievements, but much has changed since 2022.” “In July 2023, USPS completed its first regional consolidation in Richmond, Virginia. A report from the USPS Inspector General found that the consolidation led to “a decrease in service performance for the Richmond region that continued four months after launch,”they continued. “Earlier this year, these delays led some local election officials to direct area residents to
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Build Back Better Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/19/21]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement on Senator Joe Manchin’s reversal on the Build Back Better Act: “‘I just can’t get there.’ I’ve heard that before when Senator Manchin killed off the Clean Electricity Plan. He was wrong then and he’s dangerously wrong now. Failing to pass Build Back Better condemns us to higher energy prices, fewer jobs, and a back seat to those that take action and lead on technology and innovation. This stance is downright unpatriotic, and it utterly fails to address the climate crisis. “The bipartisan infrastructure bill was an important
U.S. Senators Tina Smith & John Thune’s Bill for Continued School Funding During COVID-19 Passes the Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/14/21]—Yesterday, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and John Thune’s (R-S.D.) bipartisan legislation to help schools retain federal funding during the COVID-19 pandemic passed in the Senate. Smith and Thune’s Supplemental Impact Aid Flexibility Act will allow school districts participating in the Impact Aid Program to use previously reported student headcounts on their Impact Aid applications for the 2022-2023 school year, ensuring that they do not need to recalculate federally connected students due to prolonged uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic. “As the pandemic continues to hit many Minnesota school districts hard, it’s important that districts receiving Impact Aid
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, and U.S. Representative Angie Craig Announce Program to Deliver More Opportunities, Fair Prices to Farmers and Strengthen Food Supply Chain
WASHINGTON, [12.9.21] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, and Representative Angie Craig (all D-Minnesota) announced a new program that will release approximately $1 billion in funding to shore up food supply chains and support farmers. The funding is available through the American Rescue Plan, which Senators Klobuchar, Smith, and Rep. Craig helped pass earlier this year. “Minnesota’s farmers play a key role in generating and protecting our nation’s food supply,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “The Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loans are a step forward as we continue working to support them and bolster our food supply chain.” “Even before
U.S. Senator Tina Smith & U.S. Representative Gwen Moore Push to Empower Tribes to Pursue Justice for Native Survivors of Sexual Violence
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/7/21] —Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) —a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee—and U.S. Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI) are pushing to make it easier to address violence against Native peoples by expanding Tribal jurisdiction over crimes of sexual violence. The “Justice for Native Survivors of Sexual Violence Act” aims to get justice for survivors of sexual violence by restoring Tribal jurisdiction to prosecute cases of domestic and sexual assault, sex trafficking, stalking, and other related crimes committed by non-Native offenders on Tribal lands. The Justice for Native Survivors of Sexual Violence Act is co-sponsored in the
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