Latest Releases
Senators Smith, Shaheen Reintroduce Legislation to Protect Access to Affordable Housing for Families in Rural Areas
[Washington, DC] – This week, U.S. Tina Smith (D-MN) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) reintroduced legislation to ensure that thousands of low-income tenants in rural areas are able to maintain access to safe and affordable housing. The Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act would protect access to affordable housing for families in rural areas that are often elderly or disabled, who are at risk of losing rental assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS). “Without access to housing, nothing else in your life works. Not your job, your health, your education or your family,” said Senator Smith. “As Chair of the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development, I have worked with stakeholders to expand access to affordable housing, but we also need to make sure that people who already have a place they call home can keep it that way. And that’s what this bill does. Our measure would help families and elderly Minnesotans stay in their homes.” “The pandemic exacerbated housing insecurity in New Hampshire and across the nation, and that was felt especially hard in rural communities,” said Senator Shaheen. “As Americans recover from the economic hardships of COVID-19, addressing the affordable housing crisis is pivotal. Every Granite Stater deserves to be safely housed, and it’s crucial that Congress acts now to lessen the impact of the affordable housing crisis on vulnerable families. The Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act would help address these obstacles by providing resources
Senator Smith Reintroduces Legislation to Provide Free Emergency Insulin on Rx Companies’ Dime
WASHINGTON [5.11.23] – This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) reintroduced legislation to hold insulin manufacturers accountable for excessive increases in the price of life-sustaining insulin. The Emergency Access to Insulin Act would provide emergency access to insulin for people in Minnesota and across the country who can’t afford the skyrocketing price of the drug that they need to stay alive. “Over a million people are rationing their insulin so they can afford it. And sometimes, they are paying with their lives,” said Sen. Smith. “This bill will allow states to set up a program to provide insulin on an emergency basis, put insulin manufacturers on the hook by requiring them to foot the bill for these programs, hold these manufacturers accountable for gouging the price of insulin, and promote market competition to drive down the price of insulin. This bill holds the right people accountable. To the greedy practice of wielding market power to continually increase prices and make billions off a drug that has been around for over a century, this bill says—no more. This is about providing Minnesotans and Americans with the insulin they need to survive.” “We’ve seen firsthand over the last several months that the pressure we’ve put on drug companies to lower insulin costs is working, and today’s bill is the next step in our fight to make insulin affordable for every American who needs it,” said Rep. Craig. “I’m grateful to Rep. Phillips and Sen. Smith for their partnership on this important issue.”
Sen. Tina Smith’s Statement on Trump Administration’s Decision to End Program Protecting Liberian-Americans from Deportation
Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith released the following statement about the Trump Administration’s announcement that it will be ending the Deferred Enforced Departure program for Liberian immigrants: “Minnesota is now home to one of the largest Liberian-American communities in the country, some 30,000 people strong. It’s their home. And today’s news that President Trump decided, effective March 31, 2019, to terminate Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Liberia—the program that allowed survivors of Liberia’s bloody civil war to stay in the U.S.— is shameful. “For the overwhelming majority of people this decision affects, there is nothing to go back to in
Sen. Tina Smith on Scandal-Ridden EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt: “It’s Time for Him to Resign”
Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith—a member of the Senate Energy Committee—called on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to resign. Over the past several weeks, reports have come to light that raise serious questions about Mr. Pruitt’s ethical judgment during his time as head of the EPA. “In a tenure mired in scandal, Scott Pruitt has done little to nothing to demonstrate that he has the judgement to serve as EPA Administrator, and I believe it’s time for him to resign. “Many Minnesotans are disturbed by reports that Mr. Pruitt abused his position as a member of the President’s
Strong standards projected to save consumers more than $1 trillion and nearly 2.5 million barrels of oil a day by 2030, reduce global warming pollution by six billion metric tons
Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) today introduced the Greener Air Standards Mean Our National Security, Environment, and Youth (GAS MONEY) Saved Act, legislation that would block Trump administration efforts to roll back the historic 54.5 fuel economy emissions standards. The legislation reaffirms the Final Determination made by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in January 2017 that stated that the 2012 fuel economy emissions standards are appropriate. The GAS MONEY Saved Act also would block EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt from issuing rules to weaken the emissions standards
Sen. Tina Smith Supports Bipartisan Bill to Protect Robert Mueller from Being Fired for Political Reasons
Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith said she supports a new legislative effort to insulate special counsel Robert Mueller—who’s in charge of the Trump-Russia investigation—from being fired by President Trump. By establishing an expedited judicial review process to scrutinize and even overturn the firing of a special counsel if such a dismissal happens without good cause, the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act would help ensure that the investigation into the Trump team’s ties to Russia remains free from political attacks. “Russia is a hostile foreign government that interfered in the 2016 presidential election with the goal of undermining our democracy. No
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