Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Co-Leads a Bicameral Push to Renew Expired Funding for Childcare
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bob Casey (D-PA), along with members of the House of Representatives, led a bicameral group of their colleagues in urging congressional leadership to renew expired funding for childcare in any supplemental funding package. Funding from the American Rescue Plan Act expired in September, and the state of childcare continues to be in crisis mode. Without this funding, many childcare providers have either closed or struggle to keep their doors open for working families. The letter comes on the heels of President Biden’s request to Congress for $16 billion to address the childcare crisis, which the members called for in August. “We write today to urge you to include robust funding for child care in any supplemental funding package considered by the Appropriations Committee. Child care is unaffordable and hard to find for working families, and child care providers across the country are struggling to stay afloat,” wrote the lawmakers. “Child care providers in communities across the country are at risk of closure. The child care stabilization relief funds provided a much-needed lifeline to the child care industry, but it is crucial that, at minimum, we sustain that level of investment to ensure the industry’s survival and prevent a new emergency.” Smith, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has been a leader in pressing for expanding access to childcare. She is an original cosponsor of the Child Care Stabilization Act, which aims to
Tina Smith, 13 Senate Colleagues’ Statement on Humanitarian Aid to Civilians in Gaza
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who led a group of Senators including Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), in releasing the following statement: “The tragic war in Gaza, initiated by Hamas terrorist attacks on innocent civilians on October 7, is causing heartbreaking suffering among Israelis, Palestinians and citizens of other nations living in the region. “Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself against Hamas, whose leadership continues to state clearly that their goal is the complete annihilation of Israel. Israel also has the obligation, pursuant to international law, to conduct that defense in such a way as to minimize harm to civilians and allow humanitarian aid to reach those who are suffering. We acknowledge the increased burden that this necessarily places on Israel to accomplish these obligations. “Hamas’s horrific actions cannot be ascribed to all Palestinians. Indeed, Palestinian residents of Gaza have often been victimized by Hamas. “As Senators, we have been closely monitoring the war in Gaza and believe that much more must be done to protect civilian life. We have been in ongoing dialogue with government officials in the United States, Israel and other nations in the region. We have communicated extensively with international aid officials doing work in Gaza, including those working together with the
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Fights to Secure Coronavirus Relief for Independent Turkey Farmers Who Were Left Out of Past Packages
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7/30/20]–This week U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)–a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee–introduced legislation to secure aid for independent turkey farmers who were left out of past coronavirus (COVID-19) relief packages. Despite suffering losses, independent turkey farmers were not given access to COVID-19 relief for agriculture. Sen. Smith’s bill would direct Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to include independent turkey farmers in future aid programs. “As we work to help the agriculture industry weather the pandemic, we can’t leave out hard hit independent turkey farmers,” said Sen. Smith. “This is especially important for Minnesota—the number one turkey producing and processing state in the country. My bill will provide them with relief to help during these uncertain times. Looking forward, I’ll keep fighting to provide Minnesota
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Loan Program to Help Dairy Processors Weather COVID-19 Economic Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7/29/20]–Today U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)–a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee–introduced legislation to create a loan program to provide relief to dairy processors who have been affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting economic crisis. Sen. Smith says that the USDA backed loan program would allow dairy processors, packagers, merchants, marketers, wholesalers and distributors to secure credit against their inventory, ensuring dairy processors have the working capital needed to make it through the pandemic. “For years, the dairy industry in Minnesota and across the country has been reeling from low prices, trade disruptions and weather disasters. Now, to add insult to injury, the coronavirus pandemic has caused much of the dairy market to dry
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads Fight to Provide Mental Health Care for American Indian & Alaska Native Youth During Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/27/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) recently led her Senate colleagues in demanding accessible, comprehensive, and culturally competent mental health care and related services for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth during the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter to federal education and health officials, Sen. Smith and her colleagues said that AI/AN youth already faced mental and behavioral health challenges before the pandemic, and may have an especially hard time accessing care during COVID-19. Because many AI/AN students who seek mental health care do so at school, the administration must work to find solutions to reach AI/AN students while schools are closed. The digital divide in Indian Country will prevent some AI/AN students from
Klobuchar, Smith Join Menendez, Cardin and Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Address COVID-19 Racial Disparities
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) in introducing the COVID-19 Health Disparities Action Act to address the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on communities of color. The bill would require targeted testing, contract tracing, public awareness campaigns and outreach efforts specifically directed at racial and ethnic minority communities and other populations that are vulnerable to COVID-19. “The coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately impacted communities of color, yet this Administration has failed to provide complete, consistent, and transparent statistics on coronavirus tests, cases, hospitalizations, complications, and deaths by race
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