Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Mike Crapo Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Address Shortage of Rural Veterinarians
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced a bipartisan bill to combat the scarcity of veterinarians in rural areas. The Rural Veterinary Workforce Act would give veterinarians practicing in underserved communities tax exemptions for student loan payments. This would extend a similar exemption available for physicians to veterinary services, enabling veterinarians to help the Americans who need it the most. “In nearly every state in the country, there are shortages for veterinarians, especially in rural areas,” said Senator Smith.“This record shortage causes serious harm to the health of animals and the public. Providing additional funding to the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program and updating the tax code to better serve veterinarians will allow more qualified vets to do vital work with our animals in underserved communities.” “Access to quality veterinary care is vital for Idaho’s agricultural industry,” said Senator Crapo.“By addressing the burdensome taxes on the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program, this legislation would allow more veterinarians to serve in the rural and underserved communities most in need and help ensure ranchers and farmers have access to these essential veterinary services.” In 2003, Congress established the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) to address the shortage of veterinarians in rural states. The program allows veterinarians to repay their student loans if they decide to work in underserved communities for at least three years. Veterinarians often face substantial student debt in comparison to their salaries, so along with tackling rural shortages, this program also eases that burden. However, these
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Elizabeth Warren, Patty Murray Introduce Bill to Protect Federal Funding for Birth Control, Reproductive Health Care Services
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act, a bill that would safeguard funding for Title X – the country’s only federal program dedicated to providing family planning and preventive health services, including birth control, cancer screenings, testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and reproductive health care – following attacks on the program by the Trump Administration last week. Title X clinics serve 4 million people annually, and in 2023 alone, more than 1.5 million visits to Planned Parenthood health centers were made possible by the program. The bill is co-led in the House of Representatives by Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03), Judy Chu (CA-28) and Dina Titus (NV-01). “We are at a time when Americans’ reproductive freedoms are under attack from extremist Republicans – which makes the Title X Family Planning Program more important than ever,” said Senator Smith. “Title X funding provides American women with access to critical reproductive health services. I invite my Republican colleagues who claim to champion family planning services to join us in supporting this commonsense legislation that will protect women’s access to life-saving services and birth control, pregnancy counseling, infertility services, and more.” “For more than 50 years, Title X funding has helped women across the U.S. get cancer screenings, contraception, pregnancy tests, STI treatment, and so many other services that are critical to helping women—especially women with the tightest budgets—stay healthy and plan their futures,” said Senator Murray. “I’m proud to co-lead the Expanding Access to
Senators Klobuchar, Smith Announce Significant Federal Funding to Combat Homelessness in Greater Minnesota
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced over $1.6 million in federal funding aimed at helping communities in Greater Minnesota address homelessness. The first of its kind package is targeted at addressing unsheltered homelessness and homelessness in rural communities. The package of grants and vouchers will help provide people experiencing homelessness affordable, safe and decent housing in Greater Minnesota. “All Minnesotans deserve to have a stable roof over their heads, especially in the middle of a Minnesota winter,” said Senator Klobuchar. “This federal funding will help those experiencing homelessness access safe, dignified shelter
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Head of Second Harvest Heartland as State of the Union Guest
WASHINGTON [2.3.23] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that Second Harvest Heartland CEO, Allison O’Toole, will be her guest at the President’s State of the Union Address on Tuesday, February 7th in Washington, D.C. Second Harvest was one of many food banks that benefitted from Democrats’ American Rescue Plan and helped provide crucial support for families during the pandemic. Thanks in part to federal funding that they received from the legislation, Second Harvest Heartland was able to provide more than 107 million meals to families across Minnesota and Western Wisconsin in 2022. In addition, they administered $3 million
U.S. Senator Tina Smith and Rep. Cori Bush Re-Introduce Legislation to Protect Access to Medication Abortion
WASHINGTON [2.2.23] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Cori Bush (D-MO) re-introduced a bill to defend access to medication abortion in states where the right to an abortion still exists. The Protecting Access to Medication Abortion Act would protect current FDA guidelines so that women can always access medication abortion through telehealth and certified pharmacies, including mail-order pharmacies. Of the one in four American women who will have an abortion, over half will use medication abortion. In the 23 years since its approval, evidence has shown that mifepristone can be prescribed to patients without an in-person
Senator Smith, Colleagues Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Grow Foreign Sales of American Agricultural Products
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) 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 Expanding Agricultural Exports Act is estimated to increase agricultural exports by $7.4 billion by doubling funding for the advertising programs of agricultural goods in foreign countries. In addition to Senator Smith, The bipartisan, bicameral legislation was reintroduced by Senator Angus King (I-ME), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA). “I fought for a spot on the Agriculture Committee
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