Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Rep. Katherine Clark Reintroduce Legislation to Improve School Climates
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA5) reintroduced legislation to improve support for youth in schools. The bill, called the Trauma-Informed Schools Act, would support training for teachers and staff in the development of positive school culture and help schools support young people struggling with adversity. The bill is co-led by Congressmen Mike Quigley (D-IL5) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA1) and Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-OR6). “Young students are experiencing unique challenges in school as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased social media use, and lack of access to mental health care. More than 1 in 5 young people today struggle with their mental health, and that number is rising. We need to do more to provide them with the support they need to succeed,” said Senator Smith. “I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation, which will help schools address childhood trauma and build positive school cultures so that all students and adults are welcome and supported in school buildings.” “America is in the throes of a mental health crisis, and our kids are experiencing the worst of it,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. “Overcoming this epidemic means equipping our schools with trained, trauma-informed professionals who can help students navigate whatever challenges they may encounter, both in and out of the classroom. The Trauma-Informed Schools Act makes that possible — giving the next generation a fair shot by providing the emotional and social support they need to succeed.” “Trauma is difficult for anyone to process, but for children and teens, it can be especially life-changing and impact their ability to succeed
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads 29 Colleagues in Push for Robust Rural Housing Funding
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) led 29 of her Senate colleagues in a push for more funding for rural housing programs in the FY2025 Appropriations bill. In their letter, the Senators noted that rural communities saw only a 1.7% increase in the number of housing units between 2010 and 2020, with almost half of states seeing a decrease in the number of rural units. According to the Minnesota Housing Partnership, every county in Minnesota has a shortage of affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income households. 79% of counties have a shortage that exceeds 100 homes, and 31% have a shortage exceeding 500 homes. “Without a safe, decent, affordable place to call home, nothing in your life works – not your job, your health, your education or your family,” said Senator Smith. “While the housing crisis is hurting communities across the country, the burden has been especially hard on small towns and rural communities. The severe shortage of affordable housing is hurting rural America’s ability to prosper, and it is imperative we direct more funding to address this housing shortage and finally bring our communities some relief. “Against this backdrop, federal rural housing programs have shrunk to the point that only about 3,500 direct loans are available for low-income families to purchase or build their own home, the lowest level since 1957. Funding to preserve rental and farm labor housing is meager by any standard and by no means adequate to provide new housing opportunities or preserve existing housing resources,” wrote the Senators. “In the coming years, the number of maturing Section 515 mortgages will
In Senate Banking Committee Hearing, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell Agrees with U.S. Senator Tina Smith that Racial Inequities May Worsen If Congress Doesn’t Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/16/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) pressed Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on the long-lasting inequities that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated. She also emphasized the importance of long-term rental assistance as a way to prevent a full-blown housing and eviction crisis in Minnesota and across the country. Sen. Smith—who has held affordable housing listening sessions across Minnesota—told Powell that COVID-19 is not the great equalizer. She said that this crisis has hit working families the hardest, most of whom were already struggling to pay rent and maintain stable housing before the pandemic. Sen. Smith especially highlighted the disparate impact of COVID-19 on
Klobuchar, Smith Announce $15 Million for Housing in Minnesota in Response to Coronavirus
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded Minnesota $15,253,281 in Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) to meet the housing needs of Minnesotans impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. These funds, which Congress made available through the CARES Act, will help low-income families and Minnesota’s most vulnerable citizens, including those experiencing homelessness. The relief funds can be used to operate emergency shelters, provide hotel and motel vouchers and make more emergency shelters available, provide essential services including childcare, education services, employment assistance, outpatient health services, legal services,
U.S. Senator Tina Smith in Senate Floor Speech: “Find Purpose in Making Sure This Moment Leads to Real Progress Towards Justice an
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/11/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) delivered a speech from the Senate floor to honor George Floyd, and to stand up for Minnesotans and the millions of Americans calling for transformative changes to policing and systems that perpetuate injustice. You can access video of Sen. Smith’s remarks—the first in a series of speeches she will give in the coming weeks—here. “We need a new and sustained push for racial justice, not just in law enforcement but in health care, in education, in housing, and in our environmental policy. The people I spoke to when I was home last
Klobuchar and Smith Join Colleagues to Introduce Sweeping Police Reform Legislation
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined colleagues in the House and Senate to introduce comprehensive police reform legislation, the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. The bill works to end the racist and excessively violent policing in our communities by banning dangerous practices like chokeholds and no-knock warrants, prohibiting racial profiling and requiring transparency about police activities, and reducing the barriers to holding police officers accountable for misconduct and violence. “As George Floyd’s murder and countless other national tragedies have made clear, we must take action to fix a broken system and the Justice
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