Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Reintroduces Legislation to Support Sustainable Workplace Retirement Plans
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/16/23]— Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) reintroduced legislation to provide legal certainty to workplace retirement plans that choose to consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in their investment decisions or offer ESG investment options. “Sustainable investment options are good for retirees and good for our environment—that’s a win-win,” said Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Banking Committee. “I’m putting forth this legislation because we know there’s a growing demand for sustainable investing, and Congress should act now to provide the legal certainty necessary to make sure workplace retirement plans are able to offer these options to workers across the country.” Despite considerable demand for sustainable investment options, relatively few workplace retirement plans, such as pensions and 401(k) plans, take sustainable investing principles into account in their investment decisions or provide sustainable investment options to workers. This is the case even though many workers and retirees want their plans to do so. One of the primary issues hindering plans that want to offer sustainable investment options is an uncertain and regularly changing legal environment. Under the Trump Administration, the Department of Labor issued a rule that imposed new limits on the consideration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors by workplace retirement plans. That rule was rescinded and replaced last year, once again allowing plans to invest sustainably. However, the new rule is currently subject to a legal challenge and is the target of a Congressional Review Act resolution. The Freedom to Invest in a Sustainable Future Act
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Lindsey Graham Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Prepare Young People for the Workforce
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/16/23]—This week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to promote partnerships between afterschool providers and businesses so young people can explore career paths and opportunities that help them land their first jobs and thrive in the workforce. The Youth Workforce Readiness Act would support high-quality programs that help young people gain practical skills and connect them to real-life work experiences and learning opportunities. The legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). “We should be doing everything we can to provide our kids with the skills and connections they need to find good jobs and contribute to their communities. I also hear from employers in Minnesota that they need help getting connected to great employees. That’s where afterschool and out-of-school time providers can play a role in helping young people gain skills and make connections to mentors, opportunities and local employers,” said Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Education and Labor Committee. “Our bipartisan bill would help support youth success for years to come by exposing young people to a wide range of careers and helping them make connections in the workforce.” “Preparing our kids to successfully contribute to our economy helps keep America strong,” said Sen. Graham. “A well-educated, well-trained workforce is a key component to future economic development. This legislation is great news for South Carolina and an important investment in the future of our nation.” Right now, too many young people in Minnesota and around the
Sen. Smith Pushes to End Federal Contracts for Companies that Flout Employee Protection Laws
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/15/18]–U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is pushing to prevent companies that mistreat their employees and repeatedly flout workplace protection laws from receiving taxpayer-funded federal contracts. In legislation introduced this week, Sen. Smith would also expand other workplace protections for those employed by large federal contractors. Her legislation is largely similar to a President Obama Executive Order that was repealed last year. “It’s pretty simple, taxpayer-funded government contracts should go to companies that follow the law and treat their workers fairly. Unfortunately, today, too many federal contracts are being awarded to companies with egregious and repeated violations of worker protection
Sens. Smith, Baldwin Call for Hearing on Trump Administration’s Nominee to Head Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/15/18]–U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) are calling on leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee—on which they both serve—for a hearing on the Trump Administration’s nomination of Gordon Hartogensis to be the Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). The PBGC protects the pensions of workers and retirees by insuring pension plans that cover about 40 million people, and Sens. Smith and Baldwin are concerned by the lack of Mr. Hartogensis’ experience working on pension issues. The HELP Committee has previously held hearings for two of three recent nominees
Sen. Tina Smith Calls on DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to Resign
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/18/18]–Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) called on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to resign amid families being cruelly separated at the border, which is a policy Sec. Nielsen oversees in her leadership role within the Trump Administration. This statement originally appeared on Sen. Tina Smith’s official Senate Facebook page. “’I expect to be held accountable…’ “That’s what Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told Senators during her confirmation hearing in November. “I agree. As a Senator, I take holding this administration accountable very seriously. I believe Secretary Nielsen has lost the credibility to lead DHS, and that
At the Urging of Smith, Klobuchar, U.S. Department of Agriculture Extends Enrollment Deadline for Margin Protection Program to Assist Dairy Farmers
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/20/2018]—U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended the enrollment deadline for the improved Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) following a letter from the senators requesting the extension. The MPP provides dairy producers with more cost-effective protections from shifting milk and feed prices by paying them when the difference between the national all-milk price and the national average feed cost (margin) falls below a certain dollar amount set by the producer. The new enrollment deadline is June 22, 2018. “Our dairy farmers are the backbone of our economy, and we
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