Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce STEM Education Funding for Minnesota Tribal Colleges and Universities
WASHINGTON [2/14/2024] – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs and Education Committees, and Amy Klobuchar (both D-Minn.) announced funding for White Earth Tribal and Community College and Red Lake Nation College to expand their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs. The funding comes from the National Science Foundation and is part of a larger project to promote education and careers in STEM for Indigenous students. “STEM education has never been more important as the demand for STEM-trained employees has soared,” said Senator Smith. “This funding will provide accessible pathways for Native students to pursue higher education and serve their communities – all while integrating Tribal cultural heritage and roots into their curriculum.” “Expanding higher education offerings can be a real game changer for students,” said Senator Klobuchar. “These National Science Foundation awards will open doors for White Earth Tribal and Community College and Red Lake Nation College students to learn essential skills for in-demand careers while ensuring Ojibwe language and culture remain key components of their education.” White Earth Tribal and Community College was awarded $2,500,000 to begin offering an associate’s degree in natural sciences, with coursework including biology, chemistry and physics. Having this coursework available to White Earth students will help graduates access good jobs and further education in high-demand fields such as health sciences. Red Lake Nation College will use their $2,500,000 in funding to expand curriculum in social and behavioral sciences, with coursework rooted in the Ojibwe language and culture. Given the high demand in Tribal areas for workers in social services, this program will strengthen the talent pipeline for graduates to fill that need. Senator Smith has long been a lead advocate for Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). In addition to
Following Amendment Push, Smith, Van Hollen, Durbin, Kaine, Schatz & Colleagues Welcome New National Security Memorandum to Ensure U.S. Security Assistance is Used in Line with International Law
The memorandum, modeled off of Senators’ amendment, also requires all countries that receive U.S. security assistance to facilitate U.S.-supported humanitarian aid and creates robust reporting requirements to Congress WASHINGTON – Friday, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and their colleagues welcomed a new National Security Memorandum (NSM) released by the Biden Administration Thursday aimed at ensuring all U.S. security assistance is used in line with international law, including international humanitarian law. The NSM is modeled off of the Senators’ amendment to ensure U.S. security assistance is used in line with international law. Additional cosponsors of the amendment were Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). Following the intent of the amendment, the NSM also requires that prior to the transfer of U.S. security assistance, recipient countries must provide the U.S. with credible and reliable written assurances that they will facilitate and not arbitrarily deny or restrict U.S. humanitarian assistance and U.S-supported international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance in areas of conflict. And, also in line with the Senator’s amendment, the NSM creates robust reporting requirements to Congress on these provisions and additional assessments of compliance with U.S. laws and policies. “When the United States provides security assistance, we need more in return than a mere promise
Klobuchar, Smith, Stauber Announce Over $10 Million for Infrastructure Improvements in St. Louis County
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), along with Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN-08), announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded the Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP) a grant of $10,252,000 for infrastructure improvements. “When we invest in our infrastructure, we invest in opportunity for every American. Critical investments in our infrastructure serve as a down payment on the long-term economic well-being of our state and country,” Klobuchar said. “By investing in our bridges and roads in St. Louis County, we are making an important investment in the economy of the region and enhancing public safety.” “We
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Democratic Colleagues Fight for Nation’s Registered Apprenticeship Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. [08/27/19]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and 45 of her Senate colleagues are calling on Acting Labor Department Secretary Patrick Pizzella to oppose the Department’s recent proposal that would undermine the highly-effective and widely-supported registered apprenticeship program. The proposed rule would create duplicative, unnecessary, and lower-quality “industry-recognized apprenticeship programs” (IRAPs), which would not provide the same crucial benefits and protections as long-established registered apprenticeships. The Department has also proposed the establishment of new entities to oversee the IRAPs, potentially allowing these programs to evade accountability, even to apprentices themselves. “Rather than invest federal taxpayer dollars in a duplicative, less
U.S. Senators Smith, Klobuchar, Stabenow, Durbin, Peters, Baldwin, and Brown Call for Stronger Renewable Fuel Standard
WASHINGTON, D.C. [08/26/19]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—along with Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)—is standing up for the nation’s rural economy by urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to end the harmful abuse of small refinery hardship waivers under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In a letter sent to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Sen. Smith and her colleagues pointed out that under the Trump Administration, the granting of waivers has increased by 370 percent with “small refinery” waivers going to large oil companies. While the president has
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Announces New Bipartisan Senate Effort to Highlight What’s Working in Rural Communities
East Grand Forks, MN [08/12/19] – Saying she’s been inspired by the spirit, resilience and ingenuity of the people she’s met in rural communities across Minnesota, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced today that she will lead a new bipartisan Senate group that will highlight what’s working in rural America, and lift up the local ideas that are helping rural communities thrive in the face of a persistent slump in the farm economy. Sen. Smith said she is forming the bipartisan Senate “Rural Economic Working Group” along with Republican Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota to connect with people and organizations
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