Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bills to Reduce the Cost of Prescription Drugs and Expand Access to Health Care Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [1/13/23] — More than half a dozen health care bills by U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) were signed into law by President Biden two weeks ago. The measures will take important steps to lower the cost of prescription drugs, address public health workforce shortages, and shore up supply chains while creating good-paying American jobs. Most of the provisions were bipartisan. “Since my first day in office, I’ve promised Minnesotans that I would work to reduce the cost of prescription drugs and expand access to health care,” said Sen. Smith. “These measures provide the tools to make significant progress on lowering health care costs, boosting our public health workforce, and more.” These new laws will: Require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a program to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities. Help speed up the development of and improve access to lower-cost generic drugs by requiring the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make timely therapeutic equivalence evaluations for drugs approved through the complex generic pathway. This provision is based on Smith’s Modernizing Therapeutic Equivalence Rating Determination Act. Clarify the FDA’s ability to regulate combination products—products that meet both the definition of drugs and devices—as drugs rather than as devices. The provision is based on Smith’s Consistent Legal Evaluation and Regulation of Medical Products (CLEAR) Act and will eliminate unnecessary confusion and turmoil in the industry. This clarification will allow the FDA to spend more time and resources on bringing low-cost products to market to
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bipartisan Mental Health Care Measures Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [1/13/23] — U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced two of her bipartisan mental health care bills were signed into law by President Biden two weeks ago. The provisions will take important steps to address the mental health crisis and improve Tribal health services. “I know firsthand the importance of mental health services. These measures will help expand access to mental health care in Minnesota and across this country,” said Sen. Smith. “It gives us the tools to make significant progress tackling the mental health crisis, upholding our commitments to Tribal Nations, and more.” Provisions based on Smith’s Improving Access to Behavioral Health Integration Act will provide funding for primary care practices to implement evidence-based behavioral health integration programs. In addition, the law will establish grants for Tribal governments, Tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, and Tribal health programs to receive funds for culturally-competent mental and behavioral health services for Native Americans. The bills were included in the year-end government funding package that was recently signed into law. In addition to Smith’s mental health bills, the law also includes many other important provisions supported by Sen. Smith such as the Electoral Count Reform Act, support for the people of Ukraine, fully funding provisions of the PACT Act, permanently extending postpartum coverage for mothers on Medicaid and CHIP, increasing child care and housing access, and more.
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Deal to Reopen Government
WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/25/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement following the announcement that an agreement was reached to end the current shutdown and reopen the federal government: “From the beginning, the government shutdown was a waste focused on a political symbol instead of real solutions. Finally, President Trump is realizing the increasingly harmful toll the shutdown is taking on our country. I’m glad a deal has been reached to reopen the government and focus on meaningful negotiations, but we still need to make sure federal contract employees get back pay—which is an issue I introduced a bill
Sen. Tina Smith Continues to Lead Push to Secure Back Pay For Federal Contract Workers Financially Devastated by Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/29/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), continued to lead the push to secure back pay for the thousands of federal contract workers who went many weeks without a paycheck during the 35-day federal shutdown. Unlike federal government employees who returned to work this week, the thousands of federal contract employees—many of whom serve in modestly-paid jobs—have no assurances that they will receive back pay to make up for the wages they missed during the shutdown. On Tuesday, Sen. Smith was joined at a Capitol Hill press conference by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), and a coalition of several other Congressional Democrats to discuss
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Continues Fight For Bill to Ensure Women Get Equal Pay for Equal Work
WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/30/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) helped reintroduce the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would strengthen equal pay laws. The bill would also close loopholes so that women can challenge pay discrimination and hold employers accountable. “Women deserve equal pay for equal work,” said Sen. Smith. “We’ve made important progress, but there’s more work we must do—particularly for women of color. The Paycheck Fairness Act gets right to the root of that work toward full equity and I’m proud to support this legislation for women and their families.” “The Paycheck Fairness Act is an important next step towards achieving pay equity, and ultimately, true gender equity in
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan as State of the Union Guest
Washington, D.C. [01/31/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said that Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan will be her guest at the President’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, February 5 in Washington, D.C. Prior to serving in the United States Senate, Sen. Smith also served as Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. Lt. Gov. Flanagan, a member of the White Earth band of Ojibwe, is currently the nation’s highest-ranking Native woman ever elected to executive office. She was one of the first Minnesotans Sen. Smith reached out to during the start of the recent 35-day government shutdown. The two have discussed how harmful
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