Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Introduce Legislation to Hold Postal Service Accountable for Delayed and Undelivered Mail
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D – MN) introduced legislation to improve the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) delivery tracking and accountability systems following concerning reports of serious mail delays across Minnesota. Congresswoman Angie Craig (D – MN2) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives in October. This legislation would address a serious issue at USPS—that they cannot accurately track when mail routes do not receive deliveries. A 2022 USPS Inspector General report found that the data USPS collects is based on self-reporting, which the investigation found to be consistently inaccurate. As a result, USPS itself does not know which routes are undelivered or partially delivered or how many such routes exist. The Postal Delivery Accountability Act would require the USPS to address this systemic issue by implementing the Inspector General’s two recommendations: “When postal service is unreliable, Minnesotans can face serious consequences – from late payment fees and social security checks to days without critical prescription medications. Yet when I ask the Postal Service for information on these disruptions, they tell me everything is fine. The reality is that they don’t even know themselves,” said Senator Smith. “As an essential public service, USPS owes its customers transparency. The Postal Delivery Accountability Act is a step toward that goal.” “Minnesotans rely on the Postal Service to deliver their prescriptions, Social Security checks, and more. They deserve timely service, and when the Postal Service fails to meet the mark, at the very least customers should be notified. The Postal
Senator Smith Takes to Senate Floor to Share How Childcare Crisis is Hurting Minnesotans, Urge Action from Congress
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined a number of her colleagues, led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), in speaking on the Senate floor about how the worsening childcare crisis is hurting families and local economies in every state—and stressing the need to address the crisis by acting on President Biden’s supplemental funding request to extend important stabilization funds. Joining Senators Smith and Murray were Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Ron Wyden, (D-OR), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “Childcare is one of the top issues I hear about from Minnesotans. I hear from families who have to drive more than 50 miles to get their kids to childcare, families who are spending more than one-third of their household income on the cost of care for two kids. No one is well-served by our current childcare system,” said Senator Smith on the Senate floor. “We know that the programs stabilizing the sector worked. We know how much they helped parents and how much they benefited our economy. We must provide additional funding for childcare in a future supplemental to help providers stay afloat, allow parents to continue working, and keep children in quality care. Throughout her time in the Senate, Senator Smith has led efforts to expand access to childcare. In addition to leading the push to stabilize the childcare sector, this year she has introduced bipartisan legislation to bring more childcare to more agricultural and rural communities. She has also supports a host of bills to reform our childcare system, including the Child Care for Working
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Students, Families with Access to Important Financial Aid Information
WASHINGTON D.C. [03/27/19] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced bipartisan legislation to empower students and their families with better information about the costs of college from the initial college search and the application process, to when it comes time to accept financial aid. The Net Price Calculator Improvement Act, Understanding the True Cost of College Act and Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act would help college students avoid sticker shock, compare colleges to find the best value and increase the amount of information students receive about federal student loans before they sign up for tens of
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Laud Lewis & Clark Project’s Rural Development Milestone in Southwestern Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/21/2019]—Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statements after Worthington in southwestern Minnesota became the latest city to be connected to clean water through the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System. “The Lewis and Clark pipeline is critical to delivering reliable, clean water to farmers, businesses, and families in Southwestern Minnesota,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “So many people have been working on this project for years and this is an exciting step forward for the community.” “The Lewis & Clark project is essential to supply clean drinking water to rural communities, and it’s a
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Pushes for Service Members to Receive Owed Student Loan Benefits
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/16/2019]—United States Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is pushing to get servicemembers the student loan payments they have been incorrectly denied under existing law. In a letter to Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Sen. Smith expressed her support for a proposed “matching agreement” with the Department of Education which would enable servicemembers to automatically get the refunds they are owed. The letter was led by Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). “The new matching agreement should allow all eligible servicemembers and veterans-including those who were formerly eligible-to automatically receive refunds for any interest amounts that they
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Helps Push Bill to Ensure Pregnant Mothers Can Get Affordable Health Care Both During and After Pregnancy
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/15/19]– U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) today joined an effort to ensure that all expectant mothers get the health care services they need both during and after pregnancy by cosponsoring the Healthy Maternal and Obstetric Medicine (Healthy MOM) Act. Sen. Smith said the measure would ensure that all women eligible for coverage through the Affordable Care Act insurance marketplaces, as well as women eligible for other individual or group health plan coverage, can access affordable health coverage throughout their pregnancies. Currently, marriage, divorce, having a baby, adoption and changing jobs are considered a qualifying life event that
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