Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues in Introducing Major Bill to Reform, Expand Head Start and Early Learning for Working Families
WASHINGTON, D.C — As the Trump administration continues to attack early education opportunities like Head Start, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues in working to expand early childhood education options and opportunities by introducing the Head Start for America’s Children Act. This bill would expand Head Start to ensure that more than 11 million young children from working class families can access high-quality early education and comprehensive services, while also ensuring Head Start educators earn the wages they deserve. “Access to childcare and early learning programs is essential – both for parents, to be able to go to work, and for the health and futures of our children. But the cost of childcare is crushing working families in Minnesota and across the country.” said Senator Smith. “Head Start helps hard working families care for and educate their young children, prepare them for kindergarten, provide health screenings and family support. When childcare works, everything else does, too—families thrive, the economy grows, and our communities get stronger. That’s why I’m glad to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation that would expand Head Start to more working families in Minnesota.” According to the Minnesota Head Start Association, students who had a high attendance rate in Head Start programs continued to have a high attendance rate through elementary school. Additionally, these students outperformed their K-3 peers in both reading and math. Specifically, The Head Start for America’s Children Act would: This bill is cosponsored by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.),
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Grant to Strengthen Workforce in Waseca County
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced an award for Waseca County to strengthen workforce training and development. The award will be used to develop a new manufacturing workforce training facility in Waseca, Minnesota. The new center will house classrooms, a mechatronics skills training area, and a computer numerical control (CNC) training area. The project will create 50 jobs and once completed, help increase the region’s capacity to create and grow new businesses in the manufacturing industry, in turn attracting private investment and strengthening the regional economy. “Skills training strengthens our local economies by helping people succeed in the workforce,” said Klobuchar. “In addition to the 50 new jobs this project will create, this funding will enable the Waseca County Workforce Development Center to build classrooms and provide important hands-on training so more Minnesotans can gain the skills they need to find good-paying, in-demand jobs.” “Now more than ever we need educated, skilled workers entering trades in Minnesota,” said Smith. “This investment will provide Waseca County with important resources to train future workers and prepare them for high-wage, high-demand fields. This is exactly the type of project the federal government should be a partner in and I’m proud of the work we did with local leaders to make it possible.” The award totals $2.1 million and comes from the Economic Development Administration. ###
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Mental Health Services in Detroit Lakes
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured $75,000 in funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget to support mental health services in Detroit Lakes. The funding will provide A Place to Belong with resources for outreach and recruitment of persons with mental illness. A Place to Belong is a social club for adults who are diagnosed with a serious mental illness. “We need to make mental health care more accessible, especially in rural communities,” said Klobuchar. “With this funding, A Place to Belong will have additional resources to ensure local residents who are
Klobuchar, Smith Secure Funding for Infrastructure Project in Harris
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that they secured $1,574,000 in funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget for a project to extend municipal sewer and water services in Harris. Klobuchar and Smith requested the funding along with U.S. Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN). “The City of Harris has been attracting new businesses, but the water and sewer service lines need to be expanded to accommodate the growing demand,” said Klobuchar. “With the federal funding we secured, Harris will be able to upgrade this important infrastructure.” “Minnesotans deserve to have safe, clean water,” said Smith. “The City of
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Bob Casey, Mazie Hirono Lead 39 Colleagues in Push for More Early Childhood Education and Childcare Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) led 39 of their colleagues in a push to increase funding for childcare programs and early education in the FY2025 Appropriations bill. The Senators noted that $16 can be produced in benefits for every $1 spent on high-quality early education. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) also signed the letter. “High-quality, affordable child care and early childhood education remains out of reach for many families. In more than half of states in our country, the average annual cost of full-time, center-based child care is more expensive than the average
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Rep. Katherine Clark Reintroduce Legislation to Improve School Climates
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA5) reintroduced legislation to improve support for youth in schools. The bill, called the Trauma-Informed Schools Act, would support training for teachers and staff in the development of positive school culture and help schools support young people struggling with adversity. The bill is co-led by Congressmen Mike Quigley (D-IL5) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA1) and Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-OR6). “Young students are experiencing unique challenges in school as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased social media use, and lack of access to mental health care. More than 1 in 5 young people today
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