Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Introduce Legislation to Hold Postal Service Accountable for Delayed and Undelivered Mail
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D – MN) introduced legislation to improve the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) delivery tracking and accountability systems following concerning reports of serious mail delays across Minnesota. Congresswoman Angie Craig (D – MN2) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives in October. This legislation would address a serious issue at USPS—that they cannot accurately track when mail routes do not receive deliveries. A 2022 USPS Inspector General report found that the data USPS collects is based on self-reporting, which the investigation found to be consistently inaccurate. As a result, USPS itself does not know which routes are undelivered or partially delivered or how many such routes exist. The Postal Delivery Accountability Act would require the USPS to address this systemic issue by implementing the Inspector General’s two recommendations: “When postal service is unreliable, Minnesotans can face serious consequences – from late payment fees and social security checks to days without critical prescription medications. Yet when I ask the Postal Service for information on these disruptions, they tell me everything is fine. The reality is that they don’t even know themselves,” said Senator Smith. “As an essential public service, USPS owes its customers transparency. The Postal Delivery Accountability Act is a step toward that goal.” “Minnesotans rely on the Postal Service to deliver their prescriptions, Social Security checks, and more. They deserve timely service, and when the Postal Service fails to meet the mark, at the very least customers should be notified. The Postal
Senator Smith Takes to Senate Floor to Share How Childcare Crisis is Hurting Minnesotans, Urge Action from Congress
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined a number of her colleagues, led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), in speaking on the Senate floor about how the worsening childcare crisis is hurting families and local economies in every state—and stressing the need to address the crisis by acting on President Biden’s supplemental funding request to extend important stabilization funds. Joining Senators Smith and Murray were Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ron Wyden, (D-OR), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “Childcare is one of the top issues I hear about from Minnesotans. I hear from families who have to drive more than 50 miles to get their kids to childcare, families who are spending more than one-third of their household income on the cost of care for two kids. No one is well-served by our current childcare system,” said Senator Smith on the Senate floor. “We know that the programs stabilizing the sector worked. We know how much they helped parents and how much they benefited our economy. We must provide additional funding for childcare in a future supplemental to help providers stay afloat, allow parents to continue working, and keep children in quality care. Throughout her time in the Senate, Senator Smith has led efforts to expand access to childcare. In addition to leading the push to stabilize the childcare sector, this year she has introduced bipartisan legislation to bring more childcare to more agricultural and rural communities. She has also supports a host of bills to reform our childcare system, including the Child Care for Working
U.S Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Bring Lower-Cost Insulin to Market
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/11/2019]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) continued her push to bring down the fast-rising price of insulin by introducing a bipartisan bill with Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) focused on bringing lower-cost insulin to market. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently transitioning the way it regulates insulin, and Sens. Smith and Cassidy’s bill—the Protecting Access to Biosimilars Act—would codify this new pathway for insulin to come to market, thus increasing market competition and driving down the cost of the life-saving medicine. You can access a summary of the bill here. “High insulin prices are
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
English