Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues to Reintroduce Bill to Help Educate Americans about the Effects of Climate Change
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues in introducing legislation that would support a variety of programs nationwide to help Americans better understand what climate change will mean for our everyday lives—things like including information about climate change in school science curricula and public education campaigns. The bill, called the Climate Change Education Act, would establish a Climate Change Education Program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide grants and technical assistance to state and local education agencies, institutions of higher learning, professional associations and academic societies, and youth corps organizations. “Climate change is happening, and we cannot ignore it,” said Senator Smith. “We need to be doing everything we can to combat climate change, and that includes comprehensive education about its impacts. Investing in our future and working against climate change will improve our health, create better jobs, and ensure that people are prepared to succeed in a rapidly changing world.” The Climate Change Education Act would support climate literacy by authorizing $50 million per year between fiscal years 2025 and 2030 for grants and cooperative agreements between NOAA and education entities. In line with the Biden administration’s Justice40 Initiative, the bill stipulates that 40 percent of the funds for higher education institutions and youth corps organizations would be directed to environmental justice communities. The bill was led by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and cosponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Bob
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues to Prevent College Students from Being Billed For Textbooks Without Their Consent
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues Dick Durbin (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) in sending a letter to the Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging him to finalize proposed changes that would make “Inclusive Access” (IA) and “Equitable Access” (EA) programs – models that allow institutions of higher education to automatically charge a student’s federal student aid for textbooks without a student’s consent – into an opt-in program, rather than an opt-out program. Currently, colleges and universities can partner with textbook publishers like McGraw Hill, Pearson, and Cengage to deliver textbooks digitally, charging students in the process through IA and EA programs. Although IA and EA models are more affordable for students than the sticker price of a new, hardcover textbook, they are often still more expensive than open textbooks, used textbooks or rental options. And while students can opt-out of IA and EA programs, the opt-out process is often difficult to navigate and lacks transparency. “The Department’s proposed changes to the Cash Management regulations would eliminate an institution’s ability to automatically bill students for books and supplies, effectively shifting the textbook industry’s so-called ‘Inclusive Access’ and ‘Equitable Access’ programs from an opt-out model to an opt-in model. This would allow students to choose how to spend their financial aid dollars on books and supplies. It would empower them to take advantage of affordable alternatives, such as used and open textbooks,” the lawmakers wrote. Senator Smith helped introduce the Affordable College Textbook Act and the Open-Textbook Pilot Program. The Pilot is a competitive grant program to support the creation and expansion of open college textbooks
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Says Upcoming Government Funding Package Should Include Additional, Long-term Funding for Community Health Centers
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/15/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined a group of her colleagues in calling on Congressional leadership to include funding for community health centers (CHCs) in the upcoming government funding package to ensure that millions of Americans can continue to receive the care both during and after the pandemic. “The pandemic has had a dramatic economic impact on our health centers, many of which have been forced to implement safeguarding measures to ensure the long-term financial stability of their organization,” wrote Sen. Smith and her colleagues. “This includes some having made difficult personnel decisions, including temporary reductions in
U.S. Senator Tina Smith & U.S. Representative Karen Bass Press Attorney General Barr for Information on Use of Ketamine During Arrests
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/14/2020]—In an effort to protect the health, safety and civil rights of Americans, today U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Karen Bass (D-Calif.) led 7 lawmakers in pressing U.S. Attorney General William Barr for information about the use of ketamine and other sedatives or chemical restraints on individuals during their arrest or detention by law enforcement. Recent incidents highlight the dangers of administering sedatives during an arrest—in particular the death of Elijah McClain in Colorado and the medical emergency of Max Johnson in Minnesota. In their letter to Barr, Sen. Smith and Rep. Bass noted that law enforcement medics or paramedics typically administer ketamine to incapacitate
Following Bipartisan Call for Action Led by U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, U.S. Trade Representative Launches Challenge to Unfair Canadian Trade Practices that Harm U.S. Dairy Producers
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/09/20]— U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said today that she was pleased U.S. Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer has taken the first step in challenging unfair Canadian trade practices that are harming dairy producers in Minnesota and across the country. In August, Sen. Smith led a bipartisan group of 25 Senators in pressing Ambassador Lighthizer and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to take action to ensure Canada abides by the dairy provisions of the USMCA. Sen. Smith helped secure stronger dairy trade provisions in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA). The agreement took effect in July, and Lighthizer’s action
After Push From U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, USDA Increasing Incentive Payments For Some Conservation Reserve Program Practices from 5 to 20 Percent
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/09/20]— U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has responded to her push to increase Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) incentive payments for certain CRP practices from 5 percent to 20 percent. In October, Sen. Smith pressed U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to increase incentive payments to stop the enrollment decline in the CRP, which plays a key role in protecting environmentally-sensitive farm land, stopping soil erosion, improving water quality and preserving wildlife habitat. In an October letter to Perdue, Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, pushed him to significantly
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