Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Texas Judge’s Medication Abortion Ruling
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/07/23] — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) issued the following statement in response to a far-right activist judge blocking approval of a safe and effective abortion medication: “I’m furious. A single ultra-conservative activist judge just attempted to strip away access to safe and effective medication abortions for millions of women nationwide. This ruling is nothing but an extremist, anti-democratic national abortion ban. “This outrageous decision would do irreparable harm to women’s health. It’s a clear attack on our freedoms and it cannot be allowed to stand. “This ruling makes it undeniable: Extremist Republicans won’t be satisfied until they’ve stripped all American women of their most fundamental human rights to bodily autonomy and self-determination.”
Senators Smith, Rounds Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Mental Health Services in Rural America
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) reintroduced legislation to improve access to mental health and substance use services. The Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2023 would establish a grant program for health providers to expand telemental health services in rural areas and for individuals working in the farming, forestry and fishing industries. “When I experienced depression, resources were there for me. But right now, too many people don’t have access to the mental or behavioral health care they need, and that’s especially true in rural communities,” said Smith. “Our bipartisan bill will help health providers in rural areas expand tele-mental health care services for farmers, ranchers and foresters, and many others in local communities who are experiencing stress, burnout and other mental challenges.” “Individuals in rural areas may not have easy access to a mental health facility, making in-person visits difficult for those seeking care,” said Rounds. “Utilizing telemental health capabilities will allow South Dakotans in rural areas to receive quality care from the comfort of their homes. Not only does this save time and resources, it provides an important mental health service for our farmers and ranchers, who for years have suffered economically due to challenging weather, trade disputes and price disparities.” This legislation would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Rural Health Liaison of the Department of Agriculture, to award grants to public and non-profit mental health and substance use providers to expand access to telehealth services
Sen. Tina Smith Backs Paycheck Fairness Act; Says Equal Pay for Equal Work is Good For All Americans
U.S. Senator Tina Smith has cosponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would help close the long-existing income gap between women and men. Sen. Smith said that equal pay for equal work shouldn’t be a partisan issue, and closing the pay gap would help support women in the workplace, helping ensure that women would be paid an equal wage for doing the same job. She called on Congress to take up and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act in order to strengthen protections for women in the workplace and help end wage discrimination. “Equal pay for equal work is good for all
As State of Minnesota Rolls out Comprehensive Opioid Proposal, Sen. Tina Smith Fights the Epidemic from Washington
As the state of Minnesota rolls out a set of proposals today to address opioids, U.S. Senator Tina Smith is working to tackle the crisis from Washington by cosponsoring “Penny-a-Pill” legislation that would require big pharmaceutical companies to fund solutions to the epidemic they helped create. The Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment Act would raise funds from pharmaceutical companies to establish new addiction treatment facilities, reimburse mental health providers, expanding access to treatment programs, strengthen addiction recovery services, and build facilities to provide care for babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome. “The opioid epidemic has been devastating to families all across Minnesota,” said
In Her First Senate Ag Committee Meeting, Sen. Tina Smith Takes Leadership Role on Rural Development and Energy Panel
Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith joined her first Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, where she was named ranking member of the Rural Development and Energy Subcommittee. She vowed to use her new position to advocate fiercely for Minnesota’s priorities during this year’s rewrite of the federal Farm Bill. You can download a clip of her speaking in the hearing here. “I fought for a spot on the Agriculture Committee because farming is the foundation of Minnesota’s economy,” said Sen. Smith. “As we move into this year’s Farm Bill debate, I’m going to push Minnesota’s priorities and talk with as many ag experts, rural businesses,
Klobuchar, Smith Introduce Legislation to Develop More Effective, Universal Flu Vaccine
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith today introduced the Flu Vaccine Act with Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) to encourage additional National Institutes of Health (NIH) research to develop a more effective flu vaccine. The United States has already seen 63 pediatric deaths and high levels of illness and hospitalizations related to the flu this season. One-in-10 Americans who died the week ending on January 20th died from the flu or pneumonia. The flu costs the nation $10.4 billion in direct medical costs annually and $87 billion in total economic burden. The current flu vaccine is only 60 percent effective at best,
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