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U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Mike Rounds Reintroduce Bipartisan Rural Housing Legislation
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to improve federal rural housing programs and strengthen the supply of affordable housing in rural America. The legislation would represent the most significant Rural Housing Service reforms in decades . The Rural Housing Service expands housing opportunities by offering loans, grants, and rental assistance to rural communities across the country. Rural parts of the country saw only a 1.7% increase in the number of housing units between 2010 and 2020, with almost half of states seeing a decrease in the number of rural units. According to the Minnesota Housing Partnership, every county in Minnesota has a shortage of affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income households. 79% of counties have a shortage that exceeds 100 homes, and 31% have a shortage exceeding 500 homes. Additionally, many properties financed by the Rural Housing Service decades ago — which often can be the only affordable housing option for people living in rural communities — are now at risk of being permanently lost. “Without a safe, affordable place to live, nothing else in your life works. Not your job, not your education, not your health,” said Senator Smith. “We know that the housing crisis is hurting communities across the country, and the problem is particularly acute in rural places. This legislation is the direct result of bipartisan hearings and conversations with stakeholders who helped identify ways we can make federal rural housing programs work better for people struggling to find a safe, affordable place to live.” “Improving homeownership opportunities, particularly in rural areas, is critical
U.S. Senator Tina Smith and U.S. Representatives Budzinski, Nunn and Courtney Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help New Farmers Gain Access to Land
ST. PAUL — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Reps. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Zach Nunn (R-IA), and Joe Courtney (D-CT) introduced the New Producer Economic Security Act, a bipartisan bill to help bring the next generation into family farming. The bill addresses the issue of Minnesota’s aging farmer and rancher population by giving new farmers and ranchers the tools they need to succeed through grants, financial aid, and training. It ensures that the support goes where it is needed most. “The average age of a producer in the United States is 58, and in Minnesota it’s 57. To keep Minnesota’s agriculture economy thriving, we need to invest in the next generation of farmers,” said Senator Smith. “This is a matter of national security, food security, and the strength and vitality of rural America. This legislation would help remove barriers for new and beginning farmers as they try to start up their businesses.” The bill establishes a pilot program within the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to increase access to land, capital, and markets for new and beginning farmers in Minnesota. The program would help secure the domestic food system and strengthen Minnesota’s farm workforce by giving the next generation of farmers the tools they need to succeed. The bill is a meaningful opportunity to create lasting policy solutions to the out-of-reach opportunities for new and beginning family farms, ultimately jeopardizing our country’s future. “As a young, beginning farmer, I know all too well that the next generation of producers face significant barriers in accessing the land, capital, and markets we need
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues to Prevent College Students from Being Billed For Textbooks Without Their Consent
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) in sending a letter to the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging him to finalize proposed changes that would make “Inclusive Access” (IA) and “Equitable Access” (EA) programs – models that allow institutions of higher education to automatically charge a student’s federal student aid for textbooks without a student’s consent – into an opt-in program, rather than an opt-out program. Currently, colleges and universities can partner with textbook publishers like McGraw Hill, Pearson, and Cengage to deliver textbooks digitally, charging students in the process through IA and EA programs. Although IA and EA
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads Efforts to Address the Rural EMS Crisis with Statewide Tour
MINNESOTA [4.16.24] – As access to emergency medical services continues to be a top issue for leaders in the Minnesota State Legislature, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) has been active in working toward federal solutions to the crisis. She and her staff have held meetings across Minnesota, from Hibbing to Barnesville, Blackduck, and New Richland, where local EMS leaders conveyed that first responders are in dire financial straits. Senator Smith has been urging Congress to act on this crisis and is an original cosponsor of a bill to provide Medicare reimbursement for care provided by EMS when no transportation to
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding for Infrastructure Improvements Along I-94
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $13,736,000 in federal funding for the I-94 Blowing and Drifting Snow Control Project in West Central Minnesota. The project will install 24 miles of snow fence across 38 sites to address snow control along nearly 120 miles of I-94 between the cities of Moorhead and Alexandria. The project will reduce snow traps along the economically vital I-94 corridor, enhancing safety, minimizing winter maintenance, and boosting the reliability of the heavily traveled highway. “I-94 is one of the most heavily
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Significant Federal Funding for Infrastructure Improvements to Highway 11 Along the Rainy River
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $2,560,000 in federal funding for the City of Loman’s Highway 11 Rainy River Slide Realignment and Resiliency Project. The project addresses two critical slope failures that threaten to close portions of Highway 11 along the Rainy River. The project will realign 1.2 miles of the highway about 150 feet to the west, removing the roadway from the slide areas and completing work to stabilize the slopes. “Highway 11 is a vital part of Northern Minnesota’s transportation system,” said Klobuchar. “With
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