Latest Releases
Senators Klobuchar, Smith Announce Significant Investment in Rochester Travel and Tourism Industry
WASHINGTON, [09/08/2022] – Today, Senators Klobuchar and Smith announced nearly half a million dollars in federal investment that will support the travel and tourism industry in Rochester. Specifically, the investment will support the city of Rochester with building renovations and improvements to the Mayo Civic Center and the Historic Chateau Theatre. The project will support around 300 jobs while boosting the tourism industry and advancing economic resilience in the region. The investment is made possible by the American Rescue Plan, which Klobuchar and Smith helped pass earlier this year. “This funding will create good-paying jobs and make infrastructure improvements to the Mayo Civic Center and Historic Chateau Theater, two venues in the heart of downtown Rochester,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “As co-chair of the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, I’ll keep fighting to ensure that Rochester’s tourism industry has the resources it needs to thrive.” “The travel and tourism industry is starting to bounce back after a tough few years, but many small businesses are still hurting from the pandemic,” said Sen. Smith. “These improvements to the Mayo Civic Center and the Historic Chateau Theatre will help accelerate the recovery of the travel and tourism industry in Rochester and support economic activity and jobs in the area. I’m proud of our work to pass the American Rescue Plan, which made investments like these possible.” The $468,699 investment is part of the Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation program, funded through the American Rescue Plan. The program is designed to help accelerate the
Sens. Smith, Murphy Introduce Bill to Fine Insurance Companies that Skirt Law to Provide Mental Health Coverage
WASHINGTON [9.8.22] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn) introduced legislation that would allow the Department of Labor to levy fines against insurance companies who don’t provide coverage for mental health issues—as they are required to do by law. This new authority would incentivize compliance and strengthen the protections of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. “We need to treat mental health with the same urgency we treat physical health, and that means making sure everyone has access to the care they need,” said Sen. Smith. “This bill would help make mental health care more accessible and affordable by holding insurance companies accountable when they violate mental health parity requirements. I am proud to introduce this legislation, which will bring us one step closer to ensuring everyone has access to quality, affordable mental health care.” “It’s already the law that insurance companies must cover mental health just like they cover physical health, and yet they’re still finding ways to dodge compliance and deny coverage of care,” said Sen. Murphy. “This bill would give the Department of Labor new tools to enforce mental health parity laws, incentivize compliance, and hold insurers accountable.” “Empowering our government with tools to hold health plans accountable for equal coverage of mental health and addiction treatment is critical to getting more people on the road to recovery. Most Americans cannot afford to pay for care out of pocket—it’s time we seize the opportunity before us and do what it takes
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith: “The Urgency of Passing a Strong Farm Bill is Very Clear”
WASHINGTON, D.C. [10/24/18]—This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, told top House-Senate Farm Bill negotiators that producers in Minnesota and across the country are hurting from low farm prices and trade uncertainties, and highlighted the need to pass the Farm Bill by the end of the year. Sen. Smith said the Farm bill will provide certainty for producers, and will give them the tools to deal with low prices and jump-start the farm economy in Minnesota and our nation. In a letter sent yesterday to Chairman Sen. Pat Roberts, Ranking Member Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Chairman
Bipartisan Opioids Legislation U.S. Senator Tina Smith Helped Write Becomes Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [10/24/18]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) helped write the bipartisan opioids legislation that the President signed into law today, which gives Minnesota and the nation the tools to combat the crisis by investing in long-term prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts. Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Health Committee, said the legislative package includes her measure to help bring mental health professionals into schools and community-based organizations in order to better reach families who need these vital services. “Families in rural areas, small towns and downtowns, and in Indian Country are hurting from the opioid epidemic—I want to make
Sens. Warren, Smith Seek Explanation for HHS Secretary Azar’s Misleading Testimony on President Trump’s Broken Drug Pricing Promises
Washington, DC – United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) today sent their second letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar about his potentially misleading statements during Senate testimony in which he blamed pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and drug distributors for drug manufacturers’ ongoing refusal to meaningfully reduce their prices. On May 30, 2018, President Trump promised that drug companies would “announce voluntary massive drops in prices.” In a June hearing in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Warren asked Secretary Azar to explain why drug prices remained high despite President Trump’s assurances
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Presses Administration to Quickly Change Tax Rules Blocking Cooperatives From Expanding Rural Broadband
WASHINGTON, D.C. [10/31/18]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) urged the Trump Administration to ensure cooperatives don’t lose their tax-exempt status if they receive government grants to expand rural broadband in Minnesota and across the country. Sen. Smith said that the Republican tax law passed last year threatens the tax-exempt status of rural telephone and electric cooperatives in Minnesota and across the country because of a provision meant to tax for-profit companies. In a letter Wednesday, Sen. Smith pushed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig to use their administrative authority to fix the unintended consequences of the provision, which
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