Sen. Smith is proud to represent and advocate for the seven Ojibwe tribes, the four Dakota tribes, and the vibrant urban indigenous community in Minnesota.
When Senator Smith first joined the Senate, she asked to serve on the Indian Affairs Committee because she’s heard time and time again from leaders in Indian Country who are frustrated that policy decisions are being made without bringing tribes to the table. There are tremendous needs in Indian Country, and Sen. Smith understands that leaders in Indian Country often have answers for how the federal government can step up and fulfill its trust responsibility to tribal communities.
Sen. Smith wants to make sure programs in Indian Country or that directly impact tribes from energy and economy development to health and education are adequately supported. She believes we need to address the effects of the opioid crisis on tribal communities, especially on mothers and children. We need to address the lack of housing in Indian Country, which makes it harder to attract teachers, law enforcement officers, and health care workers that reservations need.
Sen. Smith believes we also need to give tribes the tools to develop their workforce and attract business and investment, while also investing in basic infrastructure like roads and broadband.
Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith Announce Infrastructure Grants for Indian Country in Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced two grants for Tribal communities in Minnesota to make several sections of highway safer and more accessible for travelers. “Rebuilding our infrastructure is critical for families, workers, and businesses everywhere–including in Tribal communities like Lower Sioux Indian Community and Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “These infrastructure projects will create good jobs, support new businesses, and make traveling safer for drivers and pedestrians.” “If we’re going to build an economy that works for everyone, then we need to prioritize investments in vital infrastructure, like highways, that connect people with opportunities all across the state,” said Sen. Smith. “This federal grant will help improve safety on County State Aid Highway 2 and Minnesota State Highway 1, so that members of Lower Sioux and Red Lake Nation can get where they need to go safely. It’s great to see this significant federal investment and I’m going to keep fighting to bring federal dollars back to Minnesota.” Two Tribal Communities received grants: The grants were distributed as part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program within the Department of Transportation. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar and Smith supported, delivered a 50 percent increase in the amount of available funding for RAISE, which provides grants for surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant local or regional impact. ###
U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar Announce Over $20 Million in Federal Funding to Preserve Affordable Housing
ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Chair of the Senate Housing Subcommittee, and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) announced over $20 million in federal funding for the Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) to preserve affordable housing in manufactured housing communities and support Tribal communities across the Upper Midwest. This funding, awarded through the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) grants, will ensure long-term housing affordability, infrastructure improvements, and community redevelopment for residents in historically underserved areas. The funding will support MHP’s D.R.E.A.M. Initiative (Driving Resilience, Equity, and Affordability through Manufactured Housing), benefiting six Resident-Owned Communities of manufactured housing in Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as 28 Tribal communities across the Upper Midwest. “Without a safe, decent place to live, nothing else in your life works. Manufactured housing communities are a critical source of affordable homeownership for families, but they’ve been historically overlooked and under supported,” said Senator Smith. “This investment will help preserve affordable housing, strengthen infrastructure, and support a variety of communities in Minnesota and across the Upper Midwest. By ensuring long-term affordability, we’re giving people the stability, security, and opportunity they deserve.” “Safe and affordable housing is essential for families and the health of our communities, but right now, for far too many, the housing market is inaccessible,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This grant provides critical resources to improve long-term affordability, upgrade infrastructure, and expand access to quality housing where it’s needed the most.” “Manufactured housing is an essential component of our nation’s housing system, providing stability for over 22 million Americans,” said Anne Mavity, Executive Director of MHP. “MHP
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads 29 Colleagues in Push for Robust Rural Housing Funding
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) led 29 of her Senate colleagues in a push for more funding for rural housing programs in the FY2025 Appropriations bill. In their letter, the Senators noted that rural communities saw only a 1.7% increase in the number of housing units between 2010 and 2020, with almost half of states seeing a decrease in the number of rural units. According to the Minnesota Housing Partnership, every county in Minnesota has a shortage of affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income households. 79% of counties have a shortage that exceeds 100 homes, and 31% have a shortage exceeding 500 homes. “Without a safe,
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Celebrates Red Lake, Inc. Trade Mission to India
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, celebrated that Red Lake Nation’s Red Lake, Inc. will be participating in a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) agribusiness trade mission to New Delhi, India at the end of the month. 47 diverse businesses and organizations will join Under Secretary Alexis M. Taylor on the mission, and Red Lake will be the only representative from a Native or Tribal community. “We need to support all farmers—and that includes making sure we’re advocating for Native farmers who may face unique and challenging barriers to successfully owning and operating farms,” said Sen.
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce Clean Energy Support for Three Minnesota Tribes
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and Amy Klobuchar (both D-Minn.) announced federal funding to connect Tribal homes to clean electricity, including homes previously not connected to electricity at all. Minnesota Tribes selected for funding include Prairie Island Indian Community, Red Lake Nation and Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. The grants are made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which Senators Smith and Klobuchar both supported. “For generations, Native communities have been hurt by underinvestment and underfunding of basic infrastructure. Our transition to a clean energy economy can’t leave Indian Country behind,” said Senator Smith. “This funding gets us closer to ensuring every household in Minnesota,
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Chris Murphy and Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán Introduce Legislation to Improve Conditions Exacerbating Health Inequities Among Black, Brown, Indigenous and People of Color
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.-44) introduced legislation to study and address how social, environmental, and economic conditions exacerbate health inequities in Black, Brown, Indigenous, and people of color. These conditions, known as social determinants of health (SDOH), are the result of institutional racism embedded in our society including in housing, employment, education, health care and more. While it’s often believed that good health is only due to medical care, one estimate found that clinical treatment accounts for only 10 to 20 percent of an individual’s overall health. Meanwhile, around 80 to 90 percent of healthy outcomes are driven by social determinants. “For many Black, Brown, Indigenous and people of color, health
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