Latest Releases
Sen. Smith Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Safeguard American Food Exports and Protect Farmers
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Chris Coons (D-DE), introduced bipartisan legislation to protect farmers in the event of animal disease outbreaks. The Safe American Food Exports (SAFE) Act would give the USDA clear authority to preemptively negotiate regionalization agreements for known animal disease threats, ultimately preventing unsafe agriculture exports from getting shipped around the globe and keeping trading markets open for American farmers with disease-free livestock. “I hear from Minnesota farmers all the time about the toll avian flu outbreaks have on families and the economy. Animal disease outbreaks can unnecessarily disrupt trade and hurt our exporting ability,” said Sen. Smith. “This bipartisan bill would allow the USDA to proactively negotiate regionalization agreements with our key trading partners. It’s a common-sense step that would help our farmers weather any future animal disease outbreaks.” “Indiana is a top ranked poultry-producing state, being first in the country for ducks, second for layer chickens and table eggs, and third for turkeys,” said Sen. Braun. “During the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak last year, our Hoosier poultry producers relied on trade regionalization agreements to ensure that their safe food products made it to market. Spending most of my life around the farm, I know just how devastating animal disease outbreaks can be. The SAFE Act will help farmers focus on animal health, rather than finding a market for their safe food products, by giving USDA the authority to negotiate proactive trade agreements.” “Poultry farmers across the
Senator Smith, Colleagues Call on Fed to Strengthen Rules for Banks with Assets Over $100 Billion
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Angus King (I-Maine), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) wrote the Vice Chair for Supervision of the Federal Reserve (Fed) Michael Barr, calling on him to exercise the Fed’s authority to apply stronger regulation and supervision to banks with assets totaling $100 to $250 billion. “The fall of both SVB and Signature, the near-crash of First Republic, and the struggles of other regional banks shed new light on the systemic importance of banks with assets totaling between $100 and $250 billion,” wrote the senators. “In response to SVB’s and Signature Bank’s failures, the Department of Treasury, after consultation with the Fed and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), approved ‘systemic risk exceptions’ allowing the FDIC to fully compensate the banks’ depositors, including those holding deposits above the $250,000 FDIC insurance threshold. In making this determination, regulators acknowledged the systemic significance of banks of this size, and that their failure could have significant spillover effects on the broader banking system.” The 2018 Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (EGRRCPA), which unwound Enhanced Prudential Standards for mid-sized banks, provided the Fed with the discretion to maintain stronger rules – including stronger requirements for capital, liquidity, stress testing, and resolution plans – to banks with assets between $100 and $250 billion. The Fed has largely failed to
Minnesota Congressional Delegation Urges FEMA to Provide Additional Financial Assistance and Review Procedures that led to 2019 Spring Storm Damage Underestimation
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), and Representatives Jim Hagedorn (R-MN-1), Angie Craig (D-MN-2), Dean Phillips (D-MN-3), Betty McCollum (D-MN-4), Ilhan Omar (D-MN-5), Tom Emmer (R-MN-6), Collin Peterson (D-MN-7), and Pete Stauber (R-MN-8) urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide additional financial assistance to the state and undertake a full review of the procedures that it relied on in developing its estimate of the damages from severe weather and widespread flooding in the spring of 2019 in Minnesota. Historic snowfall, ice, and melting snow caused widespread flooding and significant infrastructure damage
U.S. Senator Tina Smith & 32 Colleagues Introduce Bill to Achieve Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the United States by 2050
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/13/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) helped introduce legislation—the Clean Economy Act—that would make sure the U.S. takes bold action to address the climate crisis, boost American competitiveness, promote healthier communities and foster a growing economy that works for all. By providing clear direction from Congress, the Clean Economy Act would direct Federal agencies to use existing authorities to put our country on a pathway to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050 while fostering a stronger, fairer economy for all Americans. You can access video of Sen. Smith discussing this legislation here. “Our nation can either lead or follow when it
U.S. Senators Smith, Rounds, Fischer & Baldwin Host Bipartisan Rural Working Group Meeting in Washington
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/13/20]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)—leaders of the Bipartisan Senate Rural Working Group—hosted a kickoff event with rural leaders and stakeholders in Washington. The group, co-chaired by Sens. Smith and Rounds, seeks to connect people and organizations with ties to rural communities who want to help address the many unique challenges that often hit rural areas hard. The group also aims to identify successful ideas and partnerships to spur efforts to restore economic prosperity in rural communities across the country. “I’ve been to rural communities and Tribal areas across Minnesota,
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Democratic Colleagues Call on Amazon to Address Continued Rise of Work-Related Injuries
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/10/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—along with Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and several other senators—urged Amazon to take steps to put people ahead of profits amid troubling reports of workplace injuries. These reports—from fulfillment centers like the Shakopee Fulfillment Center in Minnesota—indicate work-related injuries at Amazonare higher than other private sector employees, and the warehouse industry as a whole. A recent Atlantic report dug deep into how Amazon’s strict quota requirements force employees to fulfill orders so quickly that they either put themselves at risk of getting an injury or losing their jobs. In a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos,
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