Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Presses Postmaster Louis DeJoy for Answers on Mail Issues
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy pressing for answers regarding the Postal Service’s agreements with Amazon and the impact of those agreements on Minnesotans. For years, Minnesotans have experienced mail delays and inconsistency, and postal employees have faced difficult working conditions, made worse by a volume of Amazon deliveries that push the system to the brink. Millions of Minnesotans depend on the Postal Service to pay bills, receive prescriptions, and conduct other essential business. When service is unreliable, Minnesotans can face serious consequences – from late payment fees and social security checks to days without critical prescription medications. “As Postmaster General, you are responsible for ensuring that the Postal Service meets its service standards, and it is clear right now that things are not working as they should,” wrote Senator Smith. “Entering into contracts that your system cannot support is a breach of your responsibilities.” Reporting by the Bemidji Pioneer uncovered how harsh working conditions and the implementation of a USPS service agreement with Amazon have pushed mail carriers to the breaking point. Workers are being forced to work 12-hour days for six days per week, time off requests are being cancelled, and sick leave is not being honored. Bemidji isn’t the first Minnesota community to be affected by this new agreement with Amazon – Brainerd saw similar delays after it was implemented and continues to struggle maintaining enough staff. In her letter, Senator Smith presses for answers from DeJoy on how he plans to remedy both the impact of Amazon’s service agreement and the working conditions at the Postal Service so Minnesotans receive on-time
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Legislation to Help Child Care Providers Serve Nutritious Meals
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced legislation to help ease the financial stress on child care providers across the country. Providers such as family child care homes, child care centers, Head Start programs, and after-school programs provide meals to more than 4.2 million children each day with the support of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The Child Care Nutrition Enhancement Act would increase the reimbursement rates child care providers receive for these meals. Not only would this help ensure millions of children receive nutritious meals, it would also ease the significant financial burdens for both child care providers and parents struggling to afford child care. Companion legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Greg Landsman (D-OH-1). “I have heard from too many childcare providers in Minnesota who have to dip into their own pockets to feed the kids in their care because of insufficient federal reimbursements. Investing more in childcare will help both families who are struggling to afford care and providers who are having trouble breaking even,” said Senator Smith. “This legislation would improve an effective, but under-resourced, existing program to ensure our kids are receiving nutritious meals and help ease the financial burden on childcare providers and parents.” “Every child deserves access to nutritious meals, especially during their formative years,” said Senator Bob Casey. “The research is clear: the CACFP improves the quality of meals in child care settings. By easing the
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Rep. Sean Casten, Senate and House Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Nation’s Energy Storage Capabilities
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/22/2019]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Representative Sean Casten (D-Ill.)—along with a bipartisan group of Senate and House colleagues—introduced their Promoting Grid Storage Act of 2019, which would boost research and development of cutting-edge technologies to increase energy storage capabilities for America’s electric grid and enable the expanded use of clean energy. In addition to Sen. Smith and Rep. Casten, the bill is also supported by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Reps. Ben Ray
Smith, Portman Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Transparency and Safety of American Study Abroad Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/21/2019]–U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) today introduced bipartisan legislation—the Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act—to increase the amount of information available to students regarding the risks they may face when studying abroad. While studying abroad is an educationally enriching experience for many American students, too little information is currently available to them and their parents. Sens. Smith and Portman are calling for greater transparency, and the Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act will require institutions of higher education that offer study abroad programs to issue biennial reports on safety incidents experienced by
U.S. Senator Tina Smith: Too Many Children in Federal Housing Still At Risk of Lead Exposure
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/21/19]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is leading a Senate effort to greatly reduce the risk that children in Minnesota and across the country who live in federally subsidized housing are exposed to lead, which can cause serious health, neurological, and behavioral problem. On Tuesday, Sen. Smith along with several Senate colleagues introduced the “Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act,” to require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to adopt prevention measures and update rules to protect children from lead exposure. “A family should never have to choose between affordable housing and their children’s safety,”
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Students, Families with Access to Important Financial Aid Information
WASHINGTON D.C. [03/27/19] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced bipartisan legislation to empower students and their families with better information about the costs of college from the initial college search and the application process, to when it comes time to accept financial aid. The Net Price Calculator Improvement Act, Understanding the True Cost of College Act and Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act would help college students avoid sticker shock, compare colleges to find the best value and increase the amount of information students receive about federal student loans before they sign up for tens of
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