Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith Resolution Honoring Late Minnesota Senator David Durenberger Passes Senate
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that their resolution honoring the late Minnesota Senator David Durenberger passed the Senate with bipartisan support. Klobuchar and Smith delivered remarks on the Senate floor to honor Senator Durenberger. Video of Klobuchar’s floor remarks are available for TV download HERE and for online viewing HERE. Video of Smith’s floor remarks can be found HERE. “Senator David Durenberger was a true public servant and dedicated legislator who was always guided by his devotion to bipartisanship and helping Minnesotans. Through his leadership on the Americans with Disabilities Act, David helped usher in a whole new era of disability rights and changed millions of lives for the better,” said Klobuchar. “Even after David left the Senate, he found new ways to improve people’s lives through his work on health care, his teaching, and his mentorship. Our resolution will honor Senator Durenberger’s remarkable life and legacy of service to our state and country.” “If I had to name one thing that characterized Dave Durenberger, it was his determination to find solutions to the problems that hold people back in their lives, especially problems with health care. He didn’t care whether an idea came from Republicans or Democrats, he cared about whether it would make a difference,” said Smith. “As we mourn the loss of Senator Durenberger, let us take inspiration from his example of a thoughtful, pragmatic, results-oriented politics. Archie and I send all our support to the Durenberger family – may his
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues to Unveil New Child Care Bill
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined over three dozen lawmakers led by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) in unveiling new legislation that would expand access to affordable child care to every American family, offer high-quality early education to every child, and create good jobs for our early educators. “Access to childcare is essential, both for the safe and healthy development of our kids, and because it allows parents the freedom to pursue their careers and contribute to the economy,” said Senator Smith. “But right now, childcare is too expensive and inaccessible for many families. I am proud to cosponsor this legislation which would ensure every family has access to high-quality, affordable childcare so that our kids, their parents, and our economy can reach their full potential.” Under the legislation, half of families nationwide would pay no more than $10 a day for child care, and all families would see their child care costs capped. Additionally, the bill would introduce a sliding scale system to ensure child care is significantly more affordable based on families’ income, similar to the U.S. military child care program. Lack of access to high-quality, affordable child care prevents parents from fully participating in the workforce, holding them back from career opportunities, making it hard for businesses to find workers, and placing a drag on our entire economy. Lack of affordable, high-quality care and early education also means many children in the U.S. start kindergarten without the skills they need
U.S. Sens. Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Honor the Storied Life of Minnesota’s First Female Member of Congress, Coya Knutson, with Senate Resolution
MINNESOTA [08/22/18]— Today, Minnesota’s U.S. Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar honored the storied life of Minnesota’s first female member Congress, Coya Knutson, with a Senate Resolution heralding her life as a trailblazer who, despite great obstacles when she served in the 1950s, succeeded in making a difference for the families and communities in her state. You can read a copy of the Resolution here. The resolution, offered Wednesday on what would have been Knutson’s 106th birthday, notes that after arriving in Washington, D.C in 1954, she convinced Speaker Sam Rayburn to appoint her to be the first woman ever to serve on the House
Klobuchar, Smith, Reed Call on Administration to Protect U.S. Troops and Families from Financial Fraud
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith joined Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and 46 other senators in calling on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to maintain financial protections for servicemembers and their families under the Military Lending Act (MLA). Recent reports have indicated that the Administration is planning to stop examining lenders for violations of the MLA. In their letter, the senators urged CFPB Acting Director Mick Mulvaney not to end its examinations of payday lenders and other financial institutions for MLA compliance, and to not undertake measures that risk leaving U.S. troops and their families vulnerable to exploitation.
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Presses Swiss Pharmaceutical Giant Novartis to Ensure Improper Company Actions Aren’t Pushing Up U.S. Prescription Drug Prices
WASHINGTON D.C. [08/23/18]— Today, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) pushed for answers from Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis on improper financial and lobbying efforts – including a $1.2 million dollar payment to President Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen – that could be contributing to high prescription drug prices for people in Minnesota and across the country. In May, Novartis confirmed that it erred when it paid Cohen through a shell company to help influence Trump Administration health care policy. Those payments came after Novartis had already agreed in 2016 to comply with a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) order to establish
Sen. Smith Presses to Enhance Nation’s Energy Storage Capabilities
WASHINGTON D.C. [08/24/18]— U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said legislation she is introducing would significantly increase America’s energy storage capabilities and help expand the role that renewable energies like wind and solar play in the nation’s energy portfolio. “Expanding the nation’s energy storage capabilities will not only help expand use of renewables like wind and solar energy but will contribute to our nation’s energy and economic security,” said Sen. Smith. “This bill will help to significantly improve our nation’s efforts to store energy, and jump start energy storage research and the deployment of energy storage technologies.” Sen. Smith’s “Advancing Grid Storage Act” would authorize $500 million over
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