Latest Releases
Smith, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Empower States and Communities to Reduce Homelessness
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) today introduced the Reducing Homelessness Through Program Reform Act, legislation to cut red tape and create local solutions for addressing homelessness. “Without a safe, affordable place to live nothing else in your life works – not your job, health, family, or education,” said Smith.“This bipartisan bill makes common sense reforms to federal homelessness programs: cutting red tape for homeless service providers, streamlining and improving federal housing vouchers, reducing administrative burden and modernizing out-of-date software systems. It will reduce homelessness while using taxpayer dollars more efficiently. We know that the best ideas come from those closest to the issues, and that’s why our legislation gives local leaders in Minnesota and across the country the tools and flexibility they need to address homelessness no matter the ZIP code.” “Despite record levels of federal funding, homelessness continues to rise. It’s clear that a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t working,” said Rounds. “The challenges we face in South Dakota are not the same as those in California or New York. This legislation shifts power back to the states and communities closest to the problem—cutting red tape and enabling local leaders to deliver faster, more effective and more appropriate solutions for the people they serve.” “At a time when more Americans are facing homeless and there are fewer federal resources available, we must do everything we can to make programs more effective and assist people by connecting them to housing, local health systems, and behavioral health programs that can offer the
U.S. Senator Tina Smith on Senate Passage of Republicans’ Disastrous Big Bill
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement after voting against the Republicans’ disastrous and cruel budget bill: “What Republicans did here is simple: they voted to kick 16 million people off health insurance while giving massive tax breaks to billionaires and corporations, and managed to still raise the debt by a staggering $5 trillion. In Minnesota alone, nearly 200,000 people will lose their health insurance. Rural hospitals will be forced to close. Planned Parenthood will lose its funding and have to shutter clinics. “I’ve heard from tens of thousands of Minnesotans, and they all tell me, no matter who they voted for, they don’t want to take health care away from veterans and working families and seniors. And they didn’t vote to make it harder and more expensive for working families to put food on the table. “Now it’s up to all of us to continue the fight. As this bill returns to the U.S. House of Representatives, make your voices heard. We say no to the largest role back in health care in our nation’s history, and the biggest transfer of wealth in modern times.”
Klobuchar, Lummis, Smith, Mullin Bipartisan Legislation to Designate the Bald Eagle as the National Bird Passes Congress, Heads to the President’s Desk
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) announced their bipartisan legislation to designate the bald eagle as the National Bird of the United States has passed the House of Representatives and the Senate. It will now head to the President’s desk to be signed into law. “The bald eagle is a symbol of our country’s freedom and strength. In Minnesota, we know a thing or two about eagles: we are home to one of the largest populations of bald eagles in the country as well as the National Eagle Center
Major Senate Report Recommends Passage of U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Legislation Addressing Amazon’s Mistreatment of Workers, Unjust Quota System
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Senate Labor Committee released a report endorsing Senator Tina Smith’s (D-MN) legislation to end dangerous quota systems at Amazon warehouses. The report detailed Amazon’s mistreatment of warehouse workers under the corporation’s productivity quota system. The report analyzed Amazon’s data and found that Amazon warehouses recorded over 30 percent more injuries than the warehousing industry average in 2023. More than two-thirds of Amazon’s warehouses have injury rates that exceed the industry average. Minnesota is home to five Amazon warehouses, which have previously been reported for mistreatment of its workers. The first listed solution in the report is bipartisan legislation spearheaded by Senator Tina
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Presses Multi-Billion Dollar Corporation on Predatory Practices That Are Pricing Out Lake Elmo, Minnesota Residents
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), Chair of the Senate Housing Subcommittee, sent a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELP), an Illinois-based corporation, expressing deep concern over the company’s mistreatment of residents in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. Her letter comes following extensive reporting that residents of Cimarron Park, which is owned by ELP, are being priced out by egregious rent increases, dealing with hostile management and suffering under unfair rules that make selling or moving into a new home more difficult. “This corporation’s well-documented practices of hiking rents and making it more difficult to find other housing options
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Presses Multi-Billion Dollar Corporation on Predatory Practices That Are Pricing Out Lake Elmo, Minnesota Residents
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), Chair of the Senate Housing Subcommittee, sent a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELP), an Illinois-based corporation, expressing deep concern over the company’s mistreatment of residents in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. Her letter comes following extensive reporting that residents of Cimarron Park, which is owned by ELP, are being priced out by egregious rent increases, dealing with hostile management and suffering under unfair rules that make selling or moving into a new home more difficult. “This corporation’s well-documented practices of hiking rents and making it more difficult to find other housing options
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