Latest Releases
Ahead of Likely Shutdown, Sen. Smith, Rep. Pressley Introduce Bill to Provide Back Pay for Federal Contract Workers
WASHINGTON — Ahead of a possible Republican government shutdown, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)introduced legislation to secure back pay for the thousands of federal contract workers who face layoffs without back pay during a potential shutdown. Unlike federal government employees, the thousands of federal contract employees—many of whom serve in modestly paid jobs like custodians and cafeteria workers—have no assurances that they will receive back pay to make up for the wages they miss during a shutdown. The bill is cosponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). The Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act seeks to ensure federal contract workers, including low-wage food service, janitorial and security service workers, are fairly compensated for the wages and benefits lost due to a lapse in appropriations. “This is about fairness—contractor workers and their families should not be penalized for a government shutdown that they did nothing to cause,” said Sen. Smith. “Contractor employees perform jobs that are critical to the operation of our government, providing food service, security, and doing custodial work. These are often low-wage jobs that mean workers are living paycheck to paycheck. In the past, these workers haven’t received back pay at the end of a government shutdown like the thousands of government employees. And it’s time we right that wrong.” “As a former hotel worker and unpaid Congressional intern who worked three jobs, I know all too well what it means to
Senators Smith, Lummis Seek Key Clarifications to Address Native American and Rural Homelessness, Overcrowding
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) sent a letter to Secretary Marcia Fudge urging the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help address homelessness in Native and rural communities and to provide clarity on the federal definition of homelessness. The Senators are the Chair and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development. The letter follows a bipartisan hearing led by Smith and Lummis on the “State of Native American Housing” where witnesses described the severe homelessness and overcrowding issues facing rural and Native American communities. “The stories we heard at our hearing are not isolated examples. Many Native and rural communities officially report low rates of sheltered and unsheltered homelessness, but have high rates of doubling up and overcrowding,” wrote the Senators. “Doubling up and overcrowding are likely more prevalent in rural communities that have fewer emergency shelter options and limited transportation options, so people struggle to get to the shelters that do exist. Studies confirm that some of the highest rates of overcrowding are experienced by people who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native and on tribal lands. Although these situations differ from the ways homelessness is often found in non-Native and non-rural communities, we believe they warrant close attention.” Witness testimony described how some individuals are living in “fish houses” or “ice shanties,” in the face of not being able to find a safe, secure and affordable place to live. Witnesses shared that Native families
U.S Senator Tina Smith Signs onto Bill to Crack Down on Explosion of Robocalls
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/10/2019]—This week, Sen. Smith (D-Minn.) signed on to a bill that would increase penalties against telemarketers who spam Americans with robocalls and promote call authentication and blocking technologies. Robocalls are on the rise, with one source reporting an increase of 50% in robocall volume from February to July of last year. The legislation is also supported by the senior Senator from Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). The bipartisan Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act increases penalties for fraudulent telemarketers, while also implementing measures to proactively protect consumers from receiving unwanted robocalls. The bill was introduced by
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Stop Schools From Publicly Singling Out Children Unable to Pay for Meals at School
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/10/2019]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) helped introduce legislation to prohibit school “lunch shaming”—the practice of punishing or stigmatizing children who have an outstanding balance or don’t have enough money to pay for meals at school. The Anti-Lunch Shaming Act—led by Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.)—would ban schools from requiring children to wear hand stamps or do extra chores because their parents or guardians have not paid their school meal bills. Minnesota is currently considering a similar measure to address this shameful practice, and the federal Anti-Lunch Shaming Act aims to provide protections to students throughout the country. You can read text of the bill
Rep. Betty McCollum Wins 9th Annual Minnesota Congressional Delegation Hotdish Competition
***PHOTO AND VIDEO RELEASE*** WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/09/2018]—Today, Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) hosted the ninth annual Minnesota Congressional Delegation Hotdish Competition. Sen. Smith took up the helm last year to continue the annual hotdish off to determine which Minnesota Congressional Delegation member makes the best hotdish—a dish similar to what other states call a casserole, but is indisputably better. You can download video from the event here and here. Participants’ recipes can be found here. You can find photos of the competition here. Rep. Betty McCollum’s “Hotdish A-Hmong Friends” was named the winner of the 2019 Hotdish Off after a blind taste
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bipartisan Bills to Invest in Rural Communities
WASHINGTON D.C. [04/04/2019]— This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith helped introduce a pair of bipartisan bills to expand investments in rural communities: one designed to help improve rural broadband, and one to improve rural health care. Sen. Smith has been contacted by several Minnesota cooperatives—which are a vital part of the effort to build out rural broadband in the state—that are at risk of losing their tax-exempt status due to a mistake in the 2017 tax law. The mistake in the 2017 law put the tax-exempt status of co-ops at risk if they receive government grants to expand broadband or
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