Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith, Emmer, Craig Announce Provision to Maintain C-130 Aircraft Fleet Passes Congress as Part of Bipartisan Defense Bill
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), along with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (D-MN) and Representative Angie Craig (D-MN), announced that a provision to maintain a fleet of 271 C-130 aircraft across the Air Force fleet passed the Senate and House as part of the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. “C-130 aircraft are the backbone of Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing and support the Air Force’s readiness to carry out essential missions,” said Klobuchar. “We need to maintain the full fleet for our servicemembers who demonstrate a steadfast commitment to our nation’s values every single day. That’s why it’s so important that the bipartisan defense bill included our provision to ensure there are at least 271 C-130 aircraft in the Air Force fleet.” “Our C-130s are vital to Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing and the Air Force’s capability to carry out their missions,” said Smith. “I am glad to see them included in our defense policy bill. Ensuring the Department of Defense maintains enough of these aircraft means stability for the men and women of Minnesota’s National Guard as they carry out their duties at home and overseas.” “With the passage of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, we support the mission of the 133rd Airlift Wing and Minnesota National Guard. We have worked with our congressional delegation and the Minnesota National Guard for years to secure the future of the C-130 and are
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Press for Stop to Surge in Mexican Steel Imports, Seek to Protect American Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined a bipartisan group of colleagues, led by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Tom Cotton (R-AR), in seeking action to stop an unsustainable increase in Mexican steel imports. In a letter to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, the Senators asked the Biden Administration to set a clear deadline for Mexico to enforce its 2019 agreement with the U.S. regulating steel imports and exports, and urged the Administration to take substantive action to counter the increase in Mexican steel imports if the country refuses to comply. The letter was also signed by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Boozman (R-AR), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Ted Budd (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Katie Britt (R-AL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Bob Casey (D-PA). Earlier this year, the Senators voiced their concerns over the surge in Mexican steel imports and urged the Administration to act. Today, the Mexican government still refuses to comply with the 2019 agreement, and it is costing American steel jobs. “We write to you regarding the surge of Mexican steel imports into the U.S. market in violation of the 2019 Joint Agreement on Steel and Aluminum. This breach, and the resulting surge, threatens our manufacturing base and American national security, and demands immediate action from the administration,” wrote the Senators. The Senators continued, “The administration must do more to protect America’s steel industry and prevent the further loss of good-paying American jobs. Failure to conclude an export monitoring agreement due to the unwillingness or inability of the Mexican government is unacceptable. We urge the administration
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads Senate Push to Improve Gaps in Telehealth Coverage for Mental and Physical Health
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/15/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) led her Senate colleagues in introducing the Health Care at Home Act, which would provide telehealth parity for mental and physical health services. She was joined in the effort by Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Mark Udall (D-N.M.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.). The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a significant increase in telehealth services for both physical and behavioral health. In Minnesota, health systems have witnessed an over 1,000-fold increase in the use of telehealth. But gaps in access to telehealth remain. Sens.
U.S. Senators Smith and Warren, U.S. Representative Eshoo Spearhead Effort to Direct Nation’s Top Health Agencies to Publicly Share Information on Testing Supply Inventory
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/15/20]—This week U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced their COVID-19 Testing Inventory Act, which directs Federal agencies to compile and publicly share real-time information about testing supply inventory and shortages. U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo (D-Calif. 18) introduced companion legislation in the House today. Since President Trump declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency, state departments of health, Indian Tribes, hospitals, health care providers, and first responders have lacked tests and supplies—including personal protective equipment (PPE), testing swabs, and reagents—needed to conduct adequate public health surveillance to contain and stop the spread of COVID-19. The COVID-19 Testing Inventory
U.S. Senators Tina Smith & John Hoeven Secure Bipartisan Win: Rural Electric Cooperatives Now Eligible for Paycheck Protection Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/14/20]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) said that the U.S. Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration (SBA) have heeded their bipartisan call to make rural electric cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Last month, Sens. Smith and Hoeven led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the U.S. Department of the Treasury and SBA to support rural electric cooperatives and ensure their access to the PPP, which was created under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to support small businesses and help them maintain payroll and cover expenses during the pandemic. Click here to read the Senators’ letter. “I pushed the Treasury Department to make this important change
U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Cory Booker Announce Plan to Build Stronger Public Health Workforce to Keep Fighting Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/14/20]—Today, in an effort to solve America’s impending public health workforce shortage and strengthen its response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced legislation to build a stronger public health infrastructure. Right now, America is facing an alarming public health workforce shortage. Local and state health departments have lost nearly a quarter (23 percent) of their workforce since 2008. Public health departments are also facing a looming retirement crisis, with almost a quarter of health department staff currently eligible for retirement and 55 percent of local public health professionals already over age 45. Experts also estimate that nearly half of the public health workforce is considering leaving their
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