Latest Newsletters
The Fight for Reproductive Rights
It’s been nearly one month since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and I’ve had some time to reflect on what this decision means for our country. When I was just 15 years old, Roe v. Wade established that women have a constitutional right to autonomy over our bodies. During my time at Planned Parenthood, I saw firsthand how controlling your own health care allows you to make the best decisions about the course of your life – your education, your work and your family. Now, I have watched the extremist Supreme Court take away these rights, stripping away 50 years of precedent, freedom and personal choice. At its core, this decision is about control. Right-wing government officials believe they should decide what women can and cannot do with their bodies – women whose lives and stories they will never know. Since Roe was overturned, at least nine states have banned abortion. Republican senators have blocked lifesaving legislation that would protect women who travel for abortion, and the Indiana Attorney General wants to criminally charge the doctor who performed an abortion on a 10-year-old victim of sexual assault. Texas is suing the Biden Administration for requiring that women be provided with lifesaving health care, including abortion, in cases of medical emergency. In other words, they are suing for the power to kill women. The public is overwhelmingly outraged by these actions. Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that abortion should be available to women, and more Americans describe themselves as pro-choice today than
Fighting to Protect Minnesotans
The past several weeks have been especially challenging with mass shootings, such as the ones in Buffalo, NY as well as Uvalde, TX, and Tulsa, OK. I am angry and heartbroken, yet again. The murder of innocent children, hate crimes against the Black community, and mass shootings in hospitals are unconscionable, and I reject the notion that there is nothing we can do. No other country in the world experiences gun violence like we do here in the United States, and we need to do something to stop it. -Tina Smith Mass Shootings and the Need for Legislation to Prevent Gun Violence As we mourn the loss of innocent lives in Buffalo, New York, Uvalde, Texas, and Tulsa Oklahoma, it is evident that we need to enact commonsense gun safety legislation in this country. The House has already passed a bill that would require a background check for every gun purchase—something almost 90% of Americans support. It’s time for the Senate to pass this important legislation and send it to the President’s desk. There is no one law that will solve the mass shooting epidemic in this country, but we can save lives if we take action. It is time for us to make a change. Leaked Supreme Court Draft That Would Overturn Roe v. Wade As the only U.S. Senator to have worked at Planned Parenthood, I understand the need to protect a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her life, her health, and her body. For
A New Law to Modernize and Improve the Postal Service
I wanted to share some information on what we recently delivered on in the Senate: newly passed bipartisan legislation that will ensure the Postal Service maintains six-days of delivery per week—changes were under consideration—and puts the Postal Service on better financial footing after years of beleaguered budgets. It’s now headed to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law, and I’m proud to have cosponsored this legislation and helped get it over the finish line. Minnesotans and Americans across the country rely on the Postal Service—it’s how we get our medicine, Social Security checks and veterans benefits. And it’s also
Working for All of Us
The past month, I have reflected on the resiliency and strength all of us have displayed over the past two challenging years. I am so proud to represent Minnesota in the US Senate, and I wanted to share some updates on a few pieces of my legislation that I have been working on: • A new bipartisan law I authored with Sen. John Thune (R-SD) to ensure federally connected school districts get the funding they need during the pandemic. • Legislation called the Veterans Hearing Benefit Act to help vets can get the care they deserve for hearing loss
Historic Infrastructure Bill Will Benefit Minnesota for Years to Come
I was at the White House in November when President Biden signed the historic bipartisan infrastructure bill into law. I pushed hard to get the measure through the Senate and over the finish line because in the coming months and years, it will create thousands of jobs, make our state more competitive and improve the lives of rural, urban, suburban, and Tribal communities across Minnesota. Last week, I also joined the President when he visited Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) in Rosemount to talk about how the new law will directly improve the lives of all Minnesotans. At that event,
An Eventful Autumn
September and October have been busy and exciting months for all of us. Another Minnesota school year has begun, and that nervous, yet determined feeling that comes with a new school year has also been felt here in Washington with my work to ensure the Build Back Better budget benefits families, communities, and businesses across Minnesota. I have successfully advocated for the November 8 reopening of the U.S.-Canadian border for vaccinated travelers, which is good news for hard-hit Northern Minnesota businesses and communities that depend on Canadian travelers to thrive. In addition, I have called on the U.S. Postal Service
English