Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Statements on Nomination of Jeffrey Bryan to be U.S. District Court Judge
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that President Biden nominated Judge Jeffrey Bryan to serve as a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. Currently serving on the Minnesota Court of Appeals in Saint Paul, Judge Bryan was one of the candidates sent to President Biden by Klobuchar and Smith following the recommendation from a judicial selection committee. “Jeff Bryan is a widely respected member of the legal community and has dedicated his career to serving Minnesotans. As a former federal prosecutor and a current appellate judge with over two decades of legal experience, he is unquestionably qualified to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge,” said Klobuchar. “I look forward to working with my Judiciary Committee colleagues on both sides of the aisle to confirm him.” “Judge Bryan’s nomination is a testament to his considerable experience and commitment to the rule of law,” said Smith. “His distinguished record as an appellate judge, trial court judge, and Assistant U.S. Attorney in Minneapolis make him exceptionally well-qualified for this position. I congratulate him on his nomination.” Judge Bryan was appointed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals in Saint Paul in 2019. Before becoming an appellate judge, Judge Bryan served on the Ramsey County District Court in the Second Judicial District in Saint Paul, where he presided over civil and criminal cases. He also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Minneapolis for six years where he prosecuted white collar defendants,
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Cut Red Tape, Help Families Access Nutritious Food, and Expand Markets for Farmers
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.26.23] – This week, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten (D-MI 3) introduced bicameral legislation to make it easier for families to use nutrition assistance at farmers markets by helping farmers participate in federal nutrition programs. Small and independent farmers are often unable to sell directly to customers using USDA food assistance programs at farmers markets and roadside stands. This is due to burdensome application processes to become vendors for those nutrition programs and the lack of harmonized payment processing technology and equipment. The Enabling Farmers to Benefit from Processing Nutrition Programs Act would address these issues and make it easier for farmers to participate as authorized vendors under various nutrition programs. By doing so, it also provides an opportunity to bolster the dignity of nutrition program customers. “Every family should be able to get nutritious, affordable food. Small farmers and ranchers are the lifeblood of Minnesota’s ag economy. We should be doing everything we can to help small farmers to be able to sell their products to those families, particularly in their local area,” said Sen. Smith. “By cutting red tape and providing necessary technology and equipment, this bill will make it easier for them to accept nutrition program benefits, thereby tapping into that market, while simultaneously helping folks using federal nutrition programs to access healthy, local food at farmers markets.” “West Michigan is known for its incredible fresh produce, and today I introduced legislation to ensure even more of our neighbors have
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,
Sen. Tina Smith’s Statement on Commerce Dept. Recommendation for Steep New Tariffs on Foreign Steel
Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith released the following statement on an announcement that the Department of Commerce will recommend heavy new tariffs on foreign steel imports. “One of my first stops as Senator was in Eveleth, home to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, as well as many of the hardest-working men and women in the country,” said Sen. Smith. “When I was there, I talked with local steelworkers about the biggest challenges facing Northern Minnesota. They told me their jobs are at risk if we don’t continue to crack down on steel dumping from countries like China. Since then, I pressed
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