Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Urge USPS to Protect Mail Service During Wildfires Impacting Northern Minnesota
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) are urging the United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General to provide Minnesota with the necessary resources and support for postal operations impacted by wildfires. “We have heard from constituents who are concerned about mail delays resulting from the wildfires, and their ability to receive mail in the instance that they must evacuate,” wrote the Senators. “We urge you to ensure that Minnesota post offices receive the resources and support needed to maintain reliable service and communicate effectively with residents.” The full letter is available here and below. Dear Postmaster General Steiner: We are writing regarding serious mail service concerns in Northeast Minnesota due to ongoing wildfires. We have heard from constituents who are concerned about mail delays resulting from the wildfires, and their ability to receive mail in the instance that they must evacuate. We urge you to ensure that Minnesota post offices receive the resources and support needed to maintain reliable service and communicate effectively with residents. Minnesotans depend on the Postal Service for essential needs like medications, Social Security benefits, business mail, and paycheck that they rely on for their health and livelihoods. We appreciate the hard work of our postal workers who serve their communities and deliver the mail through extreme conditions and road closures. To that end, we request answers to the following questions: Minnesotans depend on the Postal Service every day. We urge you to do everything you can to address these postal operations concerns, and ensure
Senators Tina Smith, Jerry Moran Re-Introduce Legislation to Lower Cost of Oral Cancer Treatments
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to cut costs for cancer patients. Specifically, the bill would ensure cancer patients who are prescribed oral chemotherapy medication can access their drugs at comparable prices to other cancer treatments. Their Cancer Drug Parity Act requires health insurers to cover patient-administered (oral) cancer medications at the same cost-sharing level as traditional intravenous (IV) anticancer drug treatments, closing the coverage gap for federally regulated health plans. Over 2 million Americans are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer each year, and oral medications are a simpler, highly effective treatment option for many patients. According to a Susan G. Komen study released earlier this year, people receiving IV treatment reported a significantly greater negative impact on their daily lives than people receiving oral treatment, including having to take more time off from work. Despite these benefits, oral cancer treatments remain inaccessible to many patients due to unaffordable copays. “Oral treatments for cancer are often less invasive than traditional IV medications and can be taken at home, reducing logistical and occupational barriers to treatment,” said Sen Smith. “However, unlike IV treatments, which are covered by a health plan’s medical benefits with moderate to minimal copays, oral medications often have high, unaffordable copays. It can add up to thousands of dollars in costs for patients each year and can cause many to delay or forego necessary care to treat their cancer. Our bill brings parity to these two kinds of treatments and lowers costs for those taking oral cancer drugs.” “As cancer research and medical innovation continue to expand treatment options for cancer patients, including with orally administered cancer therapies, patients ought to be able to benefit from these medical advancements,” said Sen. Moran. “This commonsense legislation would encourage ERISA health insurance plans to expand access to orally administered cancer drugs. This legislation will
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Win in Fight to Protect the Boundary Waters
WASHINGTON, D.C — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) issued the following statement after successfully fighting to remove a section in the House-passed One Big Beautiful Act which would have issued perpetual leases to a foreign mining company to pursue sulfide ore mining on the doorstep of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: “Today marks a victory in our fight to protect the Boundary Waters. Buried deep in President Trump and Republican’s Big Beautiful Bill was a provision that gave a foreign mining company full permission to build a copper-nickel sulfide mine right on the doorstep of the Boundary Waters. I vowed to do everything in my power to protect
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Steve Daines Re-Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Combat Drug, Gun Crimes on Tribal Lands
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) announced the bipartisan Protection for Reservation Occupants Against Trafficking and Evasive Communications Today (PROTECT) Act to combat drug trafficking in Tribal communities. Drug traffickers exploit prosecutorial loopholes, including the fact that Tribal courts do not have jurisdiction over non-Native offenders who traffic illegal drugs, like fentanyl, on to Tribal lands. The PROTECT Act would address this problem by enabling Tribal Nations to exercise their inherent authority to prosecute non-Native offenders for drug crimes and gun crimes. The PROTECT Act also includes provisions for Tribal courts to execute warrants for electronic communications to better combat drug traffickers and other criminals.
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Celebrate Grants to Repair Flood Damage Across Chippewa and Superior National Forests
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced two grants to the U.S. Forest Service to repair the transportation infrastructure in parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan that was damaged due to significant flooding and high temperature spikes in the region. “Minnesotans are still dealing with the aftermath of severe flooding and extreme heat, and the damage to our transportation infrastructure in the Chippewa National Forest and the Superior National Forest has been significant,” said Klobuchar. “That’s why I fought for this funding to help rebuild and make sure people who live, work, and enjoy spending time in and around our
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Celebrate Grant to Repair Road Damage in Nicollet County
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a grant to repair damage done by a landslide in Nicollet County in June of 2020. The landslide occurred because of saturated soils in the riverbed combined with depleted water levels in the Minnesota River, causing damage to county road systems. The grant will reimburse the Minnesota Department of Transportation as they finish construction to stabilize the roads and the riverbanks to make the area safer and more accessible. “We’ve seen firsthand the disruptive impact of landslides and other natural disasters in Nicollet County, and how important it is for
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