Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Press for Stop to Surge in Mexican Steel Imports, Seek to Protect American Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined a bipartisan group of colleagues, led by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Tom Cotton (R-AR), in seeking action to stop an unsustainable increase in Mexican steel imports. In a letter to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, the Senators asked the Biden Administration to set a clear deadline for Mexico to enforce its 2019 agreement with the U.S. regulating steel imports and exports, and urged the Administration to take substantive action to counter the increase in Mexican steel imports if the country refuses to comply. The letter was also signed by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Boozman (R-AR), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Ted Budd (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Katie Britt (R-AL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Bob Casey (D-PA). Earlier this year, the Senators voiced their concerns over the surge in Mexican steel imports and urged the Administration to act. Today, the Mexican government still refuses to comply with the 2019 agreement, and it is costing American steel jobs. “We write to you regarding the surge of Mexican steel imports into the U.S. market in violation of the 2019 Joint Agreement on Steel and Aluminum. This breach, and the resulting surge, threatens our manufacturing base and American national security, and demands immediate action from the administration,” wrote the Senators. The Senators continued, “The administration must do more to protect America’s steel industry and prevent the further loss of good-paying American jobs. Failure to conclude an export monitoring agreement due to the unwillingness or inability of the Mexican government is unacceptable. We urge the administration
Klobuchar, Smith, Omar Secure Significant Federal Funding for Minneapolis’s Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Project
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) and Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $20,004,000 in federal funding for the City of Minneapolis to implement its Vision Zero Action Plan. The Plan addresses the three leading causes of severe and fatal traffic accidents in Minneapolis: speeding, left-turn conflicts, and red-light running. “We have an obligation to ensure our roads are safe for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians,” said Klobuchar. “These infrastructure upgrades will save lives.” “We need to build a transportation system that prioritizes safety. This important investment will help make progress toward eliminating pedestrian injuries in Minneapolis,” said Smith. “Sometimes smaller things like pedestrian refuge islands, high-visibility crosswalks and protected bicycle lanes are the most effective tools to create safer roads. I appreciate the work of local leaders to make Minneapolis safer for everyone.”“Investing in pedestrian and traffic safety measures will help protect the lives of Minnesotans. I’m glad to see federal dollars coming back home to Minneapolis to implement proven improvements that will make streets safer for all users, especially our most vulnerable. We know speeding, red light violations and turn conflicts cause serious accidents, and this funding will directly address those dangers. I applaud Mayor Frey and city leaders for prioritizing residents’ wellbeing through Vision Zero, and I’ll keep working to secure federal infrastructure dollars that help communities across Minnesota thrive,” said Omar. The Vision Zero Action Plan components include pedestrian safety features, including intersection medians, protected bicycle lanes, and systematic
Smith, Portman Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Transparency and Safety of American Study Abroad Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/21/2019]–U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) today introduced bipartisan legislation—the Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act—to increase the amount of information available to students regarding the risks they may face when studying abroad. While studying abroad is an educationally enriching experience for many American students, too little information is currently available to them and their parents. Sens. Smith and Portman are calling for greater transparency, and the Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act will require institutions of higher education that offer study abroad programs to issue biennial reports on safety incidents experienced by
U.S. Senator Tina Smith: Too Many Children in Federal Housing Still At Risk of Lead Exposure
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/21/19]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is leading a Senate effort to greatly reduce the risk that children in Minnesota and across the country who live in federally subsidized housing are exposed to lead, which can cause serious health, neurological, and behavioral problem. On Tuesday, Sen. Smith along with several Senate colleagues introduced the “Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act,” to require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to adopt prevention measures and update rules to protect children from lead exposure. “A family should never have to choose between affordable housing and their children’s safety,”
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Students, Families with Access to Important Financial Aid Information
WASHINGTON D.C. [03/27/19] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced bipartisan legislation to empower students and their families with better information about the costs of college from the initial college search and the application process, to when it comes time to accept financial aid. The Net Price Calculator Improvement Act, Understanding the True Cost of College Act and Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act would help college students avoid sticker shock, compare colleges to find the best value and increase the amount of information students receive about federal student loans before they sign up for tens of
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Laud Lewis & Clark Project’s Rural Development Milestone in Southwestern Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/21/2019]—Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statements after Worthington in southwestern Minnesota became the latest city to be connected to clean water through the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System. “The Lewis and Clark pipeline is critical to delivering reliable, clean water to farmers, businesses, and families in Southwestern Minnesota,” said Sen. Klobuchar. “So many people have been working on this project for years and this is an exciting step forward for the community.” “The Lewis & Clark project is essential to supply clean drinking water to rural communities, and it’s a
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