Latest Releases
Senator Smith, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Help Make College Textbooks More Affordable
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), along with U.S. Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO-02) introduced bicameral legislation designed to help students manage costs by making high quality textbooks easily accessible to students, professors, and the public for free. The Affordable College Textbook Act would authorize a competitive grant program to support the creation of and expansion of open college textbooks—textbooks that are available under an open license, allowing professors, students, researchers, and others to freely access the materials. “Textbooks are a key part of a college education – but for too many students, their cost is exorbitant and a real strain on their budgets,” said Smith. “In Minnesota, we’ve seen how free, open access textbooks can make a huge difference and save students money—and I want more students to reap these benefits. This bill is a critical step in the effort to lower the cost of college for students.” “Students already are facing momentous barriers to obtaining a college education because of the rising costs of tuition. On top of this, students are expected to shell out additional dollars to purchase expensive, required textbooks for their coursework,” said Durbin. “Open textbooks are a tried and true way to save students money while ensuring they have access to quality instructional materials. I’m introducing the Affordable College Textbook Act again to support students pursuing higher education.” “Textbooks are a central part of a college education – but for students already struggling to
Senators Smith, Young Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Farmers, Conservation
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) re-introduced legislationto support farmers seeking to adopt conservation and innovative climate practices on their farms. The Conservation and Innovative Climate Partnership Act would bridge the divide between the innovative research taking place at land-grant universities and those who farm for a living by helping family farms adopt climate friendly strategies like planting cover crops and using no-till practices. “Strong farm programs that encourage sustainable conservation and climate practices help farmers maintain productive operations for generations to come,” said Senator Smith. “They also help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. This bill will help connect farmers with the information and resources they need to adopt climate smart practices.” “Hoosier farms feed our families and are integral to our supply chains. Every farmer faces unique decisions in their farm management, and pressure from the federal government to cut carbon emissions can place stress on the good work already underway,” said Senator Young. “My Conservation and Innovative Climate Partnership Act gives farmers access to the latest tools and research in order to be successful while keeping American soil productive and healthy.” The Conservation and Innovative Climate Partnership Act would: Enable partnerships between land-grant institutions and local farmers to increase uptake of conservation and innovative climate practices Allow farmers to voluntarily adopt practices that suit their individualized needs Require land-grant institutions to partner with a non-profit, state, or federal entity Allow the partnership to conduct a variety of activities to
Sen. Tina Smith Helps Introduce Bill to Make Sure Veteran, Minority, and Immigrant Farmers Have Access to USDA Services
U.S. Senator Tina Smith said that her measure to expand mental health services for students and communities in Minnesota and across the country has been included in a larger bipartisan bill to address the nation’s opioid crisis. Sen. Smith said her Improving Access to Mental Health Services Act was added to a package of legislation designed to sharpen the federal government’s response to a crisis that continues to devastate families and communities across the nation. Tomorrow, the larger bill is expected to be debated in the Health and Education Committee, of which Sen. Smith is a member. “Lawmakers often talk about the urgent need to
Sen. Tina Smith Pushes to Kickstart Free-to-Access College Textbook Programs with Millions in Dedicated Federal Funding
U.S. Senator Tina Smith is urging the Department of Education to start disbursing millions in funding she helped secure for open college textbooks—which allow professors, students, and researchers to freely access otherwise costly materials. As the end of the spring semester approaches and students sell back their textbooks for pennies on the dollar, Sen. Smith wants to make sure that colleges across the country can start applying for new grants to create their own open textbook programs. In recent years, schools like University of Minnesota that are already using open textbooks have saved students money and ultimately brought down the
Rep. Tom Emmer Wins Sen. Tina Smith’s Minnesota Congressional Delegation Hotdish Competition
Today, Senator Tina Smith hosted the eighth annual Minnesota Congressional Delegation Hotdish Competition. Sen. Smith took up the helm of Al Franken’s annual hotdish off to determine which Minnesota Congressional Delegation member makes the best hotdish. You can download video from the event here, here, and here, and an interview with Sen. Smith that you should feel free to use here. Participants recipes can be found here. You can find photos of the competition here. Rep. Tom Emmer’s “Hotdish of Champions” was named the winner of the 2018 Hotdish Off after a blind taste test—and a tie broken by Master of Ceremonies (and MinnPost’s Washington Correspondent) Sam Brodey—of all ten dishes. The judges
Sen. Tina Smith Cosponsors Bipartisan Effort to Expand Minnesota Farm Exports
Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith continued her fight to open new international markets for Minnesota farm products by throwing her support behind bipartisan legislation to help farmers, rural cooperatives, and small businesses sell more exports abroad. The Cultivating Revitalization by Expanding American Agricultural Trade and Exports Act (CREAATE) would bolster funding for key USDA programs that help American farmers branch out into international markets. Expanding these business opportunities and trade partnerships would provide some much-needed support to family farmers and ag operations across the state that have weathered tough commodity prices during recent years.
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