Latest Newsletters
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 how many of us vote. Its services are so vital that it’s included in our Constitution. No matter where you live, you rely on the Postal Service. Yet, as you may know, the Postal Service has been plagued by unfair financial burdens. These challenges have made it hard to deliver reliable service, especially in the long run. I’ve been pushing in the Senate to ensure the USPS gets the stable footing it needs, so I’m proud we could deliver on this legislation. Reforming the Postal Service The bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act will modernize the USPS and make it more transparent, accountable, and financially stable. It’s also supported by Republicans and Democrats, postal workers, unions, and businesses. Here is what it will do: Ensure there are no cuts to delivery by permanently requiring the Postal Service to deliver six days per week. Save taxpayers $27 billion over the next decade
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 incurred while serving; and • A bill to ensure rural and unserved communities get affordable, reliable internet access, called the Connect Unserved Americans Act with some of my colleagues. -Tina Smith Making sure school districts retain reliable, stable funding Last month, my bipartisan bill with Senator John Thune (R-SD) to help federally connected schools retain funding during the COVID-19 pandemic was signed into law by President Biden. Many school districts, especially in northern Minnesota, rely on federal funding through the Impact Aid Program because they have a lot of land that doesn’t generate property taxes. The Supplemental Aid Flexibility Act will allow these schools to get the support they need without having to jump through a bunch of hoops during the pandemic. The pandemic continues to hit many Minnesota school districts hard, so it is important to me that school districts receiving Impact Aid maintain reliable, stable
End of Year Wrap-Up
As we near the end of 2020, which has been so hard for so many, I want to take a moment to thank you, and all of Minnesota. It is my great honor to represent you in Washington D.C., and to do whatever I can in the United States Senate to make progress for people. I’ll be honest, this can be a frustrating place, and progress comes slow. But progress comes, sometimes because of what we accomplish in the Senate, and often because of what you do. In the midst of this global pandemic, which has shaken the foundations
Where Do We Go From Here?
A Reminder of How Hard We Have to Fight to Keep our Democracy My husband Archie was in Washington, D.C. this past week to keep me company while the U.S. Senate worked over New Year’s. As I was driving him to the airport on Tuesday, he expressed concern about what might happen on Wednesday when Congress would vote to confirm the electoral college results that would make Joe Biden our next President. Congress was scheduled to meet in joint session at virtually the same time President Trump – near the White House – was inciting thousands of his supporters to
Protecting the Postal Service
Protecting the Integrity and Reliability of the U.S. Postal Service As I’ve traveled across Minnesota, I’ve seen the important role that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) plays in the lives of people across our state. From small towns and rural communities to our largest cities, millions of Minnesotans depend upon the USPS to deliver the letters and packages that fuel their lives and our state’s economy. And in 2020, the mail is how hundreds of thousands of our state’s residents plan to vote. In the past several weeks, I’ve raised deep concerns about the recent disruptions in mail service because
March 2020: Coronavirus Update Part II
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Coronavirus Update Note: This is the second installment of my regular updates to Minnesotans on my work to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. Minnesota and the nation are facing an unprecedented health and economic crisis in the coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully, with a new bipartisan assistance package signed into law Friday, help is on the way. It will provide significant and urgently-needed help for our health care system, families and small businesses. Minnesotans are coming together to respond to this economic and public health catastrophe. Soon, families will see direct financial help, local businesses will find a
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