Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Reintroduces Bill to Help Schools Overcome Teacher Shortages in Minnesota, Across the Country
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.21.23] – This week, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Education Committee—reintroduced legislation to help schools and districts in Minnesota and across the country facing teacher shortages. Ahead of the 2022- 2023 academic year, 78 percent of schools nationwide found it difficult to find qualified teachers for special education and science, according to surveys of school leaders. There is an urgent need for STEM, career and technical education, and special education teachers. Additionally, there is a severe lack of racial diversity—nationwide teachers of color comprise only 18 percent of the teacher workforce. “I hear from Minnesota school superintendents every summer about the many vacancies they’re struggling to fill, an issue that has only gotten harder in the past few years and is even more challenging in small, rural school districts,” said Sen. Smith. “And it’s especially difficult to hire teachers in key subjects like STEM, technical education and special education. Ultimately, these shortages hurt our kids and diminish their opportunities. My bill will help schools overcome these challenges and help ensure students get the best education possible.” Sen. Smith’s bill—the Addressing Teacher Shortages Act—would provide grants to school districts to help them attract and retain the quality teachers they need. The bill would also fund U.S. Department of Education efforts to help smaller and under-resourced districts apply for grants. Funding under the grant program could be used to establish or expand: The grant funding would be distributed competitively with at least 25 percent going to
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Senate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Housing, Health Care and Self-Governance in Native Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.20.23] – This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), announced three pieces of her bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing key issues in Native communities passed the Senate. The bills would improve health care for urban Indigenous communities, strengthen self-governance agreements, and help increase homeownership in Native communities. All three pieces of legislation will now move to the House of Representatives for a vote. “Whenever I meet with Native leaders, three of the top issues I hear about are inadequate housing and health care and the importance of self-governance,” said Smith. “I worked with my Republican colleagues to introduce these pieces of legislation to take on these challenges and address the needs of Tribes in Minnesota and around the country. These bills would create easier pathways for homeownership in Native communities, improve the Indian Health System, and bolster self-governance agreements. I’m thrilled to see them pass the Senate and get one step closer to becoming law.” Senator Smith’s bills include:
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Pushes Education Secretary DeVos to End Delays in Loan Forgiveness for Students who Attended Now-Defunct For-Profit Colleges
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/19/19]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is calling on U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to quickly process the claims of thousands of defrauded students in Minnesota and across the country seeking to get their federal student loans discharged. Thousands of pending discharge applications from students who attended now-defunct colleges – including more than 2,700 from Minnesota – have languished at the U.S. Department of Education for an average of 882 days. Sen. Smith — along with Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), and 19 of their Democratic colleagues — wrote Wednesday to U.S. Education Secretary Betsy
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Continues Fight to Secure Health Committee Hearing on Negative Consequences of Family Separation on Children
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/24/2019]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is again calling on leaders of the Senate Health Committee—on which she serves—to hold a hearing in order to better understand the negative health effects of the Trump Administration’s disastrous family separation policy and the health and safety conditions for children. Last year, Sen. Smith first pressed for a similar hearing shortly after allegations that at least one facility where children were being housed had forcibly injected already-traumatized children with powerful sedatives. Sen. Smith visited family detention centers herself and renewed her call this spring after reports found that thousands more children had
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Bold Legislation to Bring Down Price of Insulin, Hold Manufacturers Accountable
MINNEAPOLIS, M.N. [06/21/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—joined by Minnesotan Nicole Smith-Holt who tragically lost her son, Alec, when the high price of insulin forced him to ration his supply—announced plans to introduce legislation to hold insulin manufacturers accountable for excessive increases in the price of life-sustaining insulin. Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Health Committee, made her announcement at a Minneapolis community health center, where she met with Minnesotans struggling to afford skyrocketing insulin prices, including advocates Lija Greenseid and Quinn Nystrom. Sen. Smith said her new bill will be introduced next week in remembrance of the anniversary
U.S. Sens. Smith, Brown, Cortez Masto, Casey Introduce Bill to Expand Affordable Health Coverage for Families
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/20/19]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.V.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) introduced the Family Coverage Act, which would ensure all spouses and children are able to get covered by fixing a glitch in the health care system that currently prevents families from getting tax credits needed to purchase affordable insurance on the exchanges. Right now, if a mother or father has health insurance through their employer, but their employer does not offer affordable coverage for the spouse and/or kids, these family members can be kept from getting these credits. The Family Coverage Act
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