Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith, Budd Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Volunteer Drivers
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Tedd Budd (R-NC) introduced the bipartisan Volunteer Driver Tax Appreciation Act to support volunteer drivers. Each year, volunteer drivers provide millions of rides for seniors and other non-drivers through churches, community organizations, and nonprofits, giving them access to health care, meals, and other essential services. This legislation would lower the financial burden that those volunteer drivers face by increasing the charitable mileage tax deduction rate for drivers from $0.14 to $0.655 per mile. “Volunteer drivers are vital to rural communities across our state, helping seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and others access necessities like meals and health care,” said Klobuchar. “By increasing the charitable mileage tax deduction rate, this legislation will help reduce the financial burden on volunteer drivers and ensure they can continue to serve their communities.” “Minnesota’s volunteer drivers are critical to communities across our state, helping provide access to food, medication, and transport to seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities,” said Smith. “This legislation would increase the charitable mileage tax reimbursement rate and lower the financial burden for these volunteers. By more fairly compensating them for their services, we can ensure volunteers are able to continue helping the people who rely on them.” “Volunteer drivers provide critical services to predominantly rural areas of our country. Seniors, veterans, and disabled citizens are able to access food and healthcare through the charitable work of others. Increasing the charitable mileage reimbursement rate will make it easier for volunteer drivers
Senator Tina Smith Introduces Legislation to Ensure Accurate, Thorough Education About Native Peoples
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced significant legislation to improve public education and understanding about Native American peoples and their histories. Accurate, thorough education about Native peoples benefits all students, Native and non-Native alike. Unfortunately, the education most students receive regarding Native histories and cultures is woefully inadequate. For example, nearly half of Americans say that what they were taught in schools about Native Americans was inaccurate and in most K-12 classrooms, students are not taught about Native peoples at all post-1900. Furthermore, teachers rate “history of Native American peoples” and “pre-Columbian American history and culture” as two of the worst subjects in terms of coverage and accuracy. These glaring educational deficiencies allow negative stereotypes and misconceptions to take hold and persist. “It is unacceptable that so many Americans are under- and misinformed about Native peoples and their history,” said Senator Smith. “Teachers and Native groups around the country have been sounding the alarm and pushing for action on this issue for years, and it’s time we listened. This legislation would help develop accurate and thorough curriculum for our schools so that harmful misconceptions and stereotypes do not persist.” Deficiencies in our education system are a top driver of false narratives about Native peoples. Senator Smith’s legislation, the Native Histories and Cultures Education Act, would help states improve primary and secondary education about Native histories and cultures in North America by: This legislation is inspired by the Understand Native Minnesota initiative, led by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux
Klobuchar, Smith Join Warner & Colleagues Calling for Coronavirus Economic Response Focused on Helping Workers and Families
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined Mark Warner (D-VA) and over 30 colleagues in a letter to President Trump calling for an economic stimulus package focused on helping working Americans and their families who will be most harmed by the outbreak and spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) across the United States. “The spread of COVID-19 will create economic ramifications that will affect individuals, families, and regions differently. While following social distancing guidelines may be important to mitigate the spread of the virus, it creates potentially grave economic challenges for American workers who are
U.S. Senators Smith, Inhofe Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Cattle Producers
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/11/20]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) introduced their bipartisan Securing All Livestock Equitably (SALE) Act, which would address dealer payment default. The quick turnaround between the purchase and resale of cattle by dealers often leaves the ranchers who originally owned the cattle with little recourse if a dealer defaults on a purchase—the livestock has often already been resold. The SALE Act would establish dealer statutory trusts, which are similar to existing packer statutory trusts, to ensure that cattle sellers receive payment should a livestock dealer become insolvent. “Minnesota cattle producers, farm organizations, and family-owned businesses have shared with me how important
Sen. Smith Leads Fight to End Federal Contracts with Companiesthat Mistreat Employees & Violate Worker Protection Laws that Mistreat Employees & Violate Worker Protection Laws
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/11/20]–Today U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced legislation to prevent companies that mistreat their employees and repeatedly break workplace protection laws from receiving taxpayer-funded federal contracts. Sen. Smith says the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Act would also expand workplace protections for people employed by large federal contractors. Her legislation is largely similar to a President Obama Executive Order that was repealed in 2017. “I approach this issue with the core belief that all companies should follow the law and treat their workers fairly,” said Sen. Smith. “If companies break the law, then they should not receive taxpayer-funded government contracts. But right
Senators Klobuchar, Smith Urge Vice President to Actively Work with Native Communities, Tribal Leaders on Coronavirus Response
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) are urging Vice President Mike Pence to actively work with Native communities and Tribal leaders as part of the federal government’s response to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In a bipartisan effort led by vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Tom Udall (D-N.M.), 27 senators sent a letter to Vice President Pence following Congress passing an emergency funding bill that includes $40 million for Tribes, Tribal organizations and Urban Indian Health Organizations impacted by COVID-19. The United States has confirmed COVID-19 cases in a number of states where Tribes and urban Indian communities are located. Given these developments and past issues accessing federal resources for the Zika, Ebola, H1N1, and SARS outbreaks, Tribes and Urban Indian Organizations have voiced concerns that federal COVID-19 response efforts
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