Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Cassidy, Cardin, Thune Reintroduce Bill to Remove Barriers to Telemental Health Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), John Thune (R-SD) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) to reintroduce the bipartisan Telemental Health Care Access Act to remove barriers to telemental health services for Medicare beneficiaries. Specifically, the bill removes the requirement that Medicare beneficiaries be seen in person within six months of being treated for mental health services through telehealth. In 2020, Congress permanently expanded access for Medicare patients to be treated virtually for mental health services. Unfortunately, it also included an arbitrary requirement that would require the patient to be seen in-person before they could receive telemental services. The Telemental Health Care Access Act eliminates this in-person requirement so that patients can directly access mental health services via telehealth. “Telehealth has proved to be an important lifeline and tool to close some of the most significant gaps in patients’ access to health care services,” said Senator Smith. “Especially for Minnesotans in small towns and rural places suffering from mental health challenges, long commutes to the nearest provider can mean virtual care is the only feasible option. This bill is an important step in making it easier for mental health patients on Medicare to ask for help and get the care they need, without having to jump through administrative hoops.” “Since the pandemic, we have seen how telehealth expanded health care access for those with substance use disorders, physical ailments, and mental health conditions. It has been an important lifeline for rural communities,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This bill removes barriers to allow Medicare patients to
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on USPS Inspector General’s Troubling Report on St. Paul and South Metro Mail Service
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement in response to the USPS Inspector General’s report that found glaring issues at the St. Paul Processing and Distribution Center and post offices in Eagan, New Brighton and Apple Valley: “The Postal Service Inspector General’s audit reports on St. Paul and south Metro mail service are alarming and confirm what we’ve been hearing from constituents. Delayed mail and failures to report it, package delivery issues, and systemic understaffing are just the beginning. Minnesotans have been raising the alarm that mail service isn’t as reliable as it needs to be, but the Postal Service continues to act like everything is working as it should. This report confirms the reports of hundreds of Minnesotans that there are deep and systemic issues in the state. In December, I asked the Inspector General to expand the scope of their investigations in Minnesota so we can get to the bottom of these issues, and I am grateful that they will do so in the coming months,” said Senator Smith. Senator Smith has frequently raised the alarm on persistent mail delays and reports of hazardous work conditions for mail carriers, pressing Postmaster Louis DeJoy for answers on how USPS plans to remedy these issues. Most recently, Senator Smith called on the Inspector General to conduct a full audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota District, which the Inspector General’s office announced they will soon begin. The full results of the Inspector General’s audit can be
Smith, Portman Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Transparency and Safety of American Study Abroad Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/21/2019]–U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) today introduced bipartisan legislation—the Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act—to increase the amount of information available to students regarding the risks they may face when studying abroad. While studying abroad is an educationally enriching experience for many American students, too little information is currently available to them and their parents. Sens. Smith and Portman are calling for greater transparency, and the Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act will require institutions of higher education that offer study abroad programs to issue biennial reports on safety incidents experienced by
U.S. Senator Tina Smith: Too Many Children in Federal Housing Still At Risk of Lead Exposure
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/21/19]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is leading a Senate effort to greatly reduce the risk that children in Minnesota and across the country who live in federally subsidized housing are exposed to lead, which can cause serious health, neurological, and behavioral problem. On Tuesday, Sen. Smith along with several Senate colleagues introduced the “Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act,” to require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to adopt prevention measures and update rules to protect children from lead exposure. “A family should never have to choose between affordable housing and their children’s safety,”
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
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