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U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Senate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Housing, Health Care and Self-Governance in Native Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.20.23] – This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), announced three pieces of her bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing key issues in Native communities passed the Senate. The bills would improve health care for urban Indigenous communities, strengthen self-governance agreements, and help increase homeownership in Native communities. All three pieces of legislation will now move to the House of Representatives for a vote. “Whenever I meet with Native leaders, three of the top issues I hear about are inadequate housing and health care and the importance of self-governance,” said Smith. “I worked with my Republican colleagues to introduce these pieces of legislation to take on these challenges and address the needs of Tribes in Minnesota and around the country. These bills would create easier pathways for homeownership in Native communities, improve the Indian Health System, and bolster self-governance agreements. I’m thrilled to see them pass the Senate and get one step closer to becoming law.” Senator Smith’s bills include:
With Farm Bill on the Horizon, U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Slate of Legislation to Help Farmers and Address Workforce Shortages
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.20.23] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced legislation to help address workforce shortages in farming and boost economic growth and development in rural communities. The bills are set to be included as part of this year’s Farm Bill, a package of legislation passed every five years that is critically important for farmers, rural communities, and the environment. Specifically, Smith’s legislation will help increase access to capital for under-served farmers, boost training and economic opportunity for beginner farmers, and help make land more affordable for historically disadvantaged farmers. “The Farm Bill touches the lives of virtually every American and is vital to our state’s economy,” said Sen. Smith. “The bills that I am introducing today will help beginning farmers access land and develop markets for their products, two of the biggest issues I have heard during my Farm Bill listening sessions around the state. I will continue working to get them across the finish line and make this year’s Farm Bill as strong as possible.” Senator Smith’s bills include: “With millions of acres of agricultural land anticipated to change hands over the next decade, now is the moment for Congress to take action and ensure that the 2023 Farm Bill delivers material benefits for historically underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest owners striving to establish and grow their operations,” said Holly Rippon-Butler, Land Policy Director with the National Young Farmers Coalition. “Land access is the top challenge that young farmers across the country face. We are grateful for
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Fights to Increase Diversity in Corporate Leadership
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/6/20]—This week U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) helped introduce a bill led by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) to ensure transparency and encourage corporate leadership so that corporate boards reflect our nation’s diversity. Despite a strong business case for diverse leadership, corporate boards do not reflect the gender, racial and ethnic diversity of the United States. According to a recent study, women and people of color occupy only 38% of board seats at Fortune 100 companies and 34% at Fortune 500 companies. “The truth is, when we work to empower people from different races, ethnicities, and genders, we all benefit—and the economy does too,” said Sen.
Senators Klobuchar, Smith Help Pass Emergency Funding for Coronavirus Response and Preparedness
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) voted to secure $7.8 billion in emergency funding for coronavirus (COVID-19) preparedness and response efforts, including support for state and local health agencies, vaccine and treatment development, and low-interest loans for small businesses affected by the outbreak, and an additional $500 million to expand telehealth services for seniors in small towns and rural areas who receive Medicare benefits. The emergency funding also includes at least $40 million for Tribal health entities to ensure Tribal communities have the resources needed to respond to the virus outbreak. The state of Minnesota
U.S. Senators Klobuchar & Smith Announce Grants Totaling More Than $2 Million to Bemidji State University and St. Cloud State University
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/05/20]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that the National Science Foundation has awarded more than $2 million to fund projects at Bemidji State University and St. Cloud State University aimed at addressing the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teacher shortage in Minnesota. “As we work to address teacher shortages across Minnesota and our country, we must invest in students who want to serve their communities as educators in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM),” said Sen. Klobuchar “These National Science Foundation awards promoting STEM education will help Bemidji State University and St. Cloud State University
U.S. Senator Tina Smith & Democratic Senate Colleagues Defend Right of Department of Defense Civilian Workers to Engage in Collective Bargaining
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/04/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) urged Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper to make sure the Pentagon upholds workplace protections and safeguards the collective bargaining rights of Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees. Sen. Smith—in an effort with the entire Senate Democratic Caucus led by Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I)—wrote to Secretary Esper following a Trump Administration memorandum directing Sec. Esper to consider abolishing collective bargaining rights for as many as 750,000 of DoD’s civilian workers, including a diverse workforce of janitors, firefighters, food service workers, teachers, depot maintenance technicians, welders and other professionals. The senators strongly disagree with the President’s claims
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