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 Pushes For Public Companies to Disclose Risks from Climate Change
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/10/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that she is pushing for new requirements for publicly traded companies to disclose critical information about how much they are contributing to climate change, including the extent of their greenhouse gas emissions and their exposure to climate risk. Originally introduced in 2018, the Climate Risk Disclosure Act will help investors appropriately assess climate-related risks, accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner and more efficient energy sources, and reduce the risks of both environmental and financial catastrophe. It builds on the work of former Vice President Al Gore, who has warned that ignoring the risks of climate change is producing a “carbon bubble” that will have
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Bipartisan Push to Expand U.S. Grain Exports to Canada
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/09/19]— Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined a bipartisan group of Senators pushing Trump Administration trade officials to negotiate fewer restriction on U.S. grain exports to Canada under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA). The Senators pressed for action in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Gregg Doud. Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) joined Sen. Smith on the letter. “The grain article in the agreement is a significant area of interest for North Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana grain producers,” the senators wrote. “The ability for our growers to export wheat of domestic origin to
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Small Business Innovation with Energy Department National Labs
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/27/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) along with Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), James Risch (R-Ind.), and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) introduced bipartisan legislation to allow small businesses to gain access to premier facilities at the Department of Energy (DOE) National Labs to spur innovation and the culture of private-public collaboration. The Small Businesses Partnering with National Labs Act of 2019—which has a House companion bill introduced by Reps. Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.)—will allow small businesses to analyze the innovation potential of new technologies by accessing facilities and expertise at National Labs to
U.S. Senators Smith and Cramer Introduce Bold, Bipartisan Bill to Bring Down Cost of Insulin, Hold Manufacturers Accountable
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/27/19]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) introduced bipartisan legislation to bring down the cost of insulin and to hold insulin manufacturers accountable for excessive increases in the price of the life-sustaining medicine. The bill—announced last week in Minneapolis and introduced today in remembrance of Minnesotan Alec Smith, who tragically passed away two years ago today after rationing his insulin—would provide emergency access to insulin for people in Minnesota, North Dakota, and across the country who can’t afford the skyrocketing price of the drug that they need to stay alive. You can access a summary
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