Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues in Urging Biden Administration to Address Humanitarian Crisis in Ethiopia
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues in sending a letter to the Biden administration regarding the mounting humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia. The letter was led by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and was also signed by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Tim Kaine (D-VA). The Senators urged U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power to work with partners to ensure continued international humanitarian support for the people of Ethiopia as the country confronts an ongoing humanitarian crisis exacerbated by armed conflict and climate chaos. “While we are heartened by United States’ and international efforts to provide food assistance and other humanitarian aid to the Ethiopian people, their needs remain great, especially when factoring in the more than 100,000 Sudanese refugees who have recently fled the violence in their country and taken refuge in Ethiopia,” the Senators wrote. “We support the Administration’s continued global leadership in the provision of humanitarian aid to those most in need,” the Senators continued. “We also acknowledge that it is critical to maintain effective oversight of assistance and ensure that it is not being abused or diverted. However, commitments from other donor countries and the international community have failed to keep up with the increasing needs globally.” Read the full text of the letter below: Dear Secretary Blinken and Administrator Power, We write to express deep concern about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia, which is set to worsen this year
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce Clean Energy Support for Three Minnesota Tribes
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and Amy Klobuchar (both D-Minn.) announced federal funding to connect Tribal homes to clean electricity, including homes previously not connected to electricity at all. Minnesota Tribes selected for funding include Prairie Island Indian Community, Red Lake Nation and Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. The grants are made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which Senators Smith and Klobuchar both supported. “For generations, Native communities have been hurt by underinvestment and underfunding of basic infrastructure. Our transition to a clean energy economy can’t leave Indian Country behind,” said Senator Smith. “This funding gets us closer to ensuring every household in Minnesota, including on Tribal lands, have access to clean electricity.” “This federal grant will deliver critical clean energy infrastructure improvements,” said Senator Klobuchar.“Investments into clean electricity are vital for securing the power grid in Tribal communities and bolstering the transition to renewable energy.” “This investment in Indian Country and, specifically, the Prairie Island Indian Community, will literally help create a brighter future for our people,” said Prairie Island Tribal Council President Grant Johnson. “Achieving energy sovereignty while eliminating or offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions on Prairie Island is the goal of our net zero program. This grant will allow us to make electrification improvements to our members’ home and involve them more directly in our efforts to change our energy narrative and achieve our net zero goal.” “We are excited and honored to have received the funding from the Biden-Harris Administration America Agenda to Electrify Homes Across Indian Country with Clean Energy. This funding will assist us in the implementation capacity
U.S. Senators Tina Smith & Patty Murray, U.S. Representative Suzan DelBene Unveil Legislation to Support Sustainable Workplace Retirement Plans
WASHINGTON, D.C. [5/20/21]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and U.S. Representative Suzan DelBene (D-WA 1) introduced legislation in the Senate and House to provide legal certainty to workplace retirement plans that choose to consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in their investment decisions or offer ESG investment options. Despite considerable demand for sustainable investment options, relatively few workplace retirement plans, such as pensions and 401(k) plans, take sustainable investing principles into account in their investment decisions or provide sustainable investment options to workers. One of the primary issues hindering plans that want to offer sustainable
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, U.S. Representative Angie Craig Introduce 21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. [5/17/21]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-MN 2) recently introduced companion legislation in the Senate and House to expand school-business partnerships, which would help ensure a future workforce that is trained for the jobs employers are creating. Many employers struggle to find qualified workers across several industries, including advanced manufacturing, agriculture, information technology and health care. According to workforce studies, almost two-thirds of the millions of jobs that will need to be filled in the U.S. will require at least some post-secondary education. Schools and employers are already building programs and partnerships like those outlined
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, MN Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho Host Call Highlighting Urgent Need to Stop Evictions for Minnesota Renters Hurt by COVID-19
WASHINGTON, D.C. [5/14/21]—Today U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Minnesota Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho led a discussion about the urgent need to prevent evictions for tens of thousands of Minnesota renters who have been hit hard by the pandemic and fallen behind on their rent. Sen. Smith and Ho were joined by non-profit leaders who are helping connect the growing number of financially-troubled renters with the assistance they need to stay in their homes in the Metro area, Duluth, Willmar, Faribault, Rochester, St. Cloud, and Marshall. You can watch a clip from the discussion here and the entire conversation here. “I’m so grateful for the important work that Minnesota Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho and all of the housing assistance
U.S. Senators Smith, Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Mental Health Care Workforce to Areas of Greatest Need
WASHINGTON, D.C. [5/12/21]—Today, during Mental Health Awareness Month, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced their bipartisan legislation which would repay up to $250,000 in eligible student loan repayment for mental health professionals who work in mental health professional shortage areas. U.S. Representatives John Katko (R-NY 24) and Grace Napolitano (D-CA 32) introduced companion legislation in the House. Sen. Smith has shared her own mental health journey from the Senate floor—and again last week as part of Mental Health Awareness Month—in hopes of breaking the stigma around mental health and working to expand access so Americans get the help they need.
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