Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Request an Inspector General Audit of Minnesota-North Dakota Postal Service
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D – MN) have formally requested that the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service conduct a full audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota District following persistent reports across Minnesota of delayed and unreliable mail service. “We believe it is time for the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to investigate the dysfunction of the MN-ND District,” wrote the Senators. “Minnesotans rely on the Postal Service as an essential public service. Deliveries of medicine, Social Security checks and paychecks, and correspondence with loved ones are critical, especially in rural communities. But too often, the Postal Service is falling short in meeting the reasonable expectations of Minnesotans.” “Even more concerning is that attempts to elevate the concerns of Minnesotans to the USPS have either been dismissed or met with assurances that everything is fine—that the reports of our constituents are incorrect,” wrote the Senators. “This lack of transparency deepens our concern that the serious issues in the MN-ND district are not receiving adequate attention.” The Office of the Inspector General is an independent agency within the USPS that conducts essential oversight over Postal Service operations. Audits conducted by the Inspector General provide an informed, unbiased view of postal operations with a focus on preventing misuse of funds, promoting efficiency and integrity, and sharing information with the USPS Board of Governors, Congress, and USPS management. In their request for a full audit, the senators seek answers to the following issues: Smith and Klobuchar have long worked to improve the reliability of postal service in Minnesota. The
U.S. Senator Smith Joins Colleagues in Bipartisan Push for Clear Guidance on the New Free Applications for Federal Student Aid
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined a bipartisan group of colleagues led by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) in sending a letter urging the Department of Education to provide clear guidance and communication to students, families, educators, and schools leading up to and after the release of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The redesigned FAFSA will make it easier for millions of students to get financial aid and help 1.5 million more students access the maximum Pell Grant award, which is $7,395 for the 2023-24 award year. While the Department announced earlier in November that the new FAFSA will be released by December 31, 2023, it did not provide a concrete date and indicated that there will be processing delays in the first months of 2024, creating uncertainty for students and their families. The letter is also signed by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN),Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bob Casey (D-PA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). “We understand that overhauling
U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Tammy Baldwin: ‘We’re Not the Same Person’ in Video on Climate Change
WASHINGTON, DC [08/01/19]— Today in a new video, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) called for action to protect the Great Lakes from the adverse effects of climate change while establishing their distinct identities. Smith and Baldwin, both members of the Senate Democratic Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, said that the negative effects of climate change on the Great Lakes, such as the increase in average surface water temperatures, pose a threat to public health, the environment, and the economy. Environmental changes in the Great Lakes region create challenges for nearby communities, wildlife populations, and the industries that sustain over
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads Bipartisan Effort to Improve Access to Rural Health Care for New and Expecting Moms
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/31/19]–Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced a bipartisan bill that would help ensure that new and expecting moms living in rural communities get the care they need. Sen. Smith—a member of the Senate Health Committee—said that this is especially a problem in rural areas across Minnesota and the country. Approximately a third of Minnesota’s rural counties don’t have a hospital where women can give birth, and more than half of rural counties nationwide lack hospitals with labor and birthing services. Sen. Smith also noted that the disparity in access to care and worse health outcomes disproportionally affects women of
Sen. Tina Smith Pushes to Help Schools Overcome Teacher Shortages in Minnesota, Across the Country
WASHINGTON D.C [07/31/19]—Today, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Education Committee—reintroduced legislation to help schools and districts in Minnesota and across the country hit hard by teacher shortages. Sen. Smith is pushing the legislation because right now there are not enough teachers to meet the demand in all locations and in all fields, resulting in teacher shortages. More than 40 percent of the nation’s small, rural school districts struggle with adequately staffing their schools, and shortages are most acute in certain subject areas. There is a growing need for STEM, foreign language, and special education teachers. Additionally, there is a severe lack of racial diversity—nationwide teachers of color compromise only 18 percent of
TOMORROW: U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Patients, Fellow Lawmakers, and Advocates To Demand Bold Action to Bring Down Drug Prices
WASHINGTON, DC [07/25/19]—Tomorrow, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and patients from across the country will gather in front of the U.S. Capitol to demand bold action to lower prescription drug prices. Sen. Smith will be joined by fellow lawmakers, as well as advocates, to highlight the need for Congress to address this pressing issue. The press conference will occur right before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform holds a hearing with patients, titled “The Patient Perspective: The Devastating Impacts of Skyrocketing Drug Prices on American Families.” It also coincides with the Center for Popular Democracy’s patient bus trip to
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