Latest Releases
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
Klobuchar, Smith, Omar Secure Significant Federal Funding for Minneapolis’s Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Project
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $20,004,000 in federal funding for the City of Minneapolis to implement its Vision Zero Action Plan. The Plan addresses the three leading causes of severe and fatal traffic accidents in Minneapolis: speeding, left-turn conflicts, and red-light running. “We have an obligation to ensure our roads are safe for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians,” said Klobuchar. “These infrastructure upgrades will save lives.” “We need to build a transportation system that prioritizes safety. This important investment will help make progress toward eliminating pedestrian injuries in Minneapolis,” said Smith. “Sometimes smaller things like pedestrian refuge islands, high-visibility crosswalks and protected bicycle lanes are the most effective tools to create safer roads. I appreciate the work of local leaders to make Minneapolis safer for everyone.”“Investing in pedestrian and traffic safety measures will help protect the lives of Minnesotans. I’m glad to see federal dollars coming back home to Minneapolis to implement proven improvements that will make streets safer for all users, especially our most vulnerable. We know speeding, red light violations and turn conflicts cause serious accidents, and this funding will directly address those dangers. I applaud Mayor Frey and city leaders for prioritizing residents’ wellbeing through Vision Zero, and I’ll keep working to secure federal infrastructure dollars that help communities across Minnesota thrive,” said Omar. The Vision Zero Action Plan components include pedestrian safety features, including intersection medians, protected bicycle lanes, and systematic
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Ensure 22,000 Retired Minnesota Workers Don’t Lose Their Pensions
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/24/19]—With more than a million Americans facing massive cuts to their hard-earned pensions—including more than 22,000 Minnesotans—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) continued her push to head off looming pension cuts and shore up the nation’s troubled pension systems. On Wednesday, Sen. Smith and several of her Senate colleagues reintroduced the Butch Lewis Act to help the chronically-underfunded Central States Pension Fund, which covers over 22,000 Minnesotans. The measure would also strengthen many more underfunded multi-employer pension plans across the country. Since coming to the Senate, Sen. Smith has met with many Minnesotans who spent their working years paying into
U.S. Senators Klobuchar, Smith Push to Ensure Married Couples in Minnesota, Across Country Can Avoid Depleting Savings When Caring for Spouse
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/22/19]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) want to permanently ensure that married couples in Minnesota and across the country are able to access home and community-based Medicaid services without having to completely deplete their savings. As the nation’s primary source of coverage for long-term services and supports, Medicaid funds more than 50 percent of long-term care provided nationwide. While many Americans receive this care in institutional settings like nursing homes, in 2014 more than 3 million Americans received this care at home. Three decades ago, Congress established protections—known as spousal impoverishment rules—in cases where a spouse
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig Press Top Administration Officials to Quickly Implement New Effort to Improve Health Care in Rural America
WASHINGTON D.C. [07/19/19]— Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-Minn.) are pushing for the Trump administration to quickly implement a new effort they both support to focus federal health efforts on the unique needs of rural America. Sen. Smith and Rep. Craig, both members of their respective Agriculture Committees, said the 2018 Farm Bill established a “Rural Health Liaison” position within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) charged with coordinating federal health efforts in rural communities across the country. In a letter this week, the two lawmakers pushed both U.S Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, and
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Announce Investments in Local Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/18/19]— U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) investments in Boys and Girls Club of Detroit Lakes. The cities of Eagle Bend and Altura will also receive investments. The Boys and Girls Club grant will allow the organization to increase its services, whereas the Eagle Bend and Altura grants will give additional funding to emergency services. “Critical investments in our rural communities serve as a down payment on the long-term economic well-being of our country,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “These rural development investments will help enhance the safety and quality of life
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