Latest Releases
Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar, and Representative Angie Craig Press Postal Service for Answers on Mail Carriers’ Missing Paychecks
WASHINGTON, D.C. [09/25/23] — Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar, and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (all D-Minn.) sent a letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy seeking answers about an apparent payroll system error that led to an estimated 53,000 rural letter carriers missing or receiving only a partial paycheck on September 1. After hearing from Minnesotans affected by the error, the lawmakers pressed DeJoy on the Postal Service’s insufficient response to their significant error, and demanded immediate back pay for the impacted workers. “Rural letter carriers – including carrier assistants – are essential workers whose services are critical to small towns and rural places in Minnesota and around the country,” wrote the lawmakers in their letter. “As you know, these carriers deliver medications to veterans, bills to seniors, and support businesses large and small, all for relatively modest pay. Like a lot of American families, many rural letter carriers can’t afford a missed paycheck. We understand that USPS offered affected employees the option to receive a salary advance in the form of a money order at 65 percent of gross pay. However, that is an insufficient proposal that fails to address the scope of these employees’ needs, and does not demonstrate a commitment to getting these workers the pay they earned.” In their letter, Smith, Klobuchar, and Craig called for DeJoy to answer the following questions by September 30, 2023: You can access a full copy of the letter here.
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Significant Federal Funding to Combat Extreme Heat, Create More Green Spaces in Minnesota
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) announced over $33 million in federal funding to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to nature in cities, towns, and suburbs throughout Minnesota. The funding is made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, which Smith helped pass. “As climate change fuels record-breaking heat waves across the country, we need to be doing more to increase tree cover and improve access to nature,” said Smith. “Extreme heat strains our energy systems and has negative effects on public health and overall well-being. These investments, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, will increase access to green spaces and help communities become more resilient to extreme heat thanks to the cooling effects of tree cover.” The grants are made possible by investments from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history. Studies show that trees in communities are associated with improved physical and mental health, lower average temperatures during extreme heat, and increased food security, and create new economic opportunities. This historic funding will help support projects that increase tree cover in disadvantaged communities, provide equitable access to the benefits of nature, and deliver tangible economic and ecological benefits to Minnesota. The grants include:
Sen. Tina Smith Helps Push Bipartisan Farm Bill Through Senate Agriculture Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/13/18]—U.S Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said the bipartisan Farm Bill she helped push through the Senate Agriculture Committee today is important not only for Minnesota farmers, ranchers and communities across the state – who will greatly benefit from the measure – but also for the state’s economy as a whole. The Committee’s action gets the Farm Bill over a major hurdle on its way to being signed into law. The legislation includes several measures authored and championed by Sen. Smith—including her legislative roadmap for the energy title of the Farm Bill,and her provision to expand access to much-needed broadband
Senator Tina Smith Calls for Answers and Action from Secretary DeVos After Teachers Forced to Foot Bill for Thousands in Promised Aid
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/14/18]–Today, Senator Tina Smith pressed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for action for teachers who are unfairly being forced to repay thousands of dollars for funds originally promised as grants. The TEACH Grant program promises up-front financial assistance for college students who commit to pursue teaching careers in high-need schools. If students do not fulfill the service requirements of the program, they are liable to pay back the grant money in full with interest—but reports indicate many teachers’ grants are being converted to loans erroneously, due to small errors in paperwork or even for seemingly no reason at all.
Sen. Smith Pushes to End Federal Contracts for Companies that Flout Employee Protection Laws
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/15/18]–U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is pushing to prevent companies that mistreat their employees and repeatedly flout workplace protection laws from receiving taxpayer-funded federal contracts. In legislation introduced this week, Sen. Smith would also expand other workplace protections for those employed by large federal contractors. Her legislation is largely similar to a President Obama Executive Order that was repealed last year. “It’s pretty simple, taxpayer-funded government contracts should go to companies that follow the law and treat their workers fairly. Unfortunately, today, too many federal contracts are being awarded to companies with egregious and repeated violations of worker protection
Sens. Smith, Baldwin Call for Hearing on Trump Administration’s Nominee to Head Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/15/18]–U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) are calling on leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee—on which they both serve—for a hearing on the Trump Administration’s nomination of Gordon Hartogensis to be the Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). The PBGC protects the pensions of workers and retirees by insuring pension plans that cover about 40 million people, and Sens. Smith and Baldwin are concerned by the lack of Mr. Hartogensis’ experience working on pension issues. The HELP Committee has previously held hearings for two of three recent nominees
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