Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation to Promote Tribal Self-Governance for Federal Food Assistance Program
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to give Tribes in Minnesota and across the country more control over how a key federal hunger program is administered in their communities. The SNAP Tribal Food Sovereignty Act would give Tribal governments a more active role in the administration of the USDA’s vital Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (commonly known as SNAP). The bill would help make sure SNAP is administered in a culturally-appropriate way that promotes the health and economic well-being of Tribal communities. Federal programs to combat hunger like SNAP are important to Tribal communities—approximately 25 percent of Native Americans receive some type of federal food assistance, and in some Tribal communities, participation is as high as 80 percent. “Tribal governments understand what works best in their communities and should have more say over how SNAP is administered,” said Senator Smith. “The SNAP Tribal Food Sovereignty Act is about promoting Tribal sovereignty and helping Tribes fight hunger in a way that works best for them.” Self-governance authority allow Tribal governments to administer federal programs within their own communities—it is widely regarded as one of the most effective federal policies for Tribes. Self-governance policies make federal dollars work better to address the unique needs of Tribal communities. In 2018, the Farm Bill included the first ever self-governance expansion to USDA, with a pilot program within the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations that gave Tribes authority to procure the foods for distribution, including foods from
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Takes Action to Address the Childcare Funding Cliff
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to a fast approaching deadline for childcare funding, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined 33 fellow Senators and 78 colleagues in the House of Representatives led by Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in introducing the Child Care Stabilization Act this month. The crucial legislation aims to extend vital federal childcare stabilization funding – which is set to expire September 30th – and ensure that childcare providers can keep their doors open and continue serving children and families in every part of the country. Senator Smith also spoke about the urgent need to for greater childcare investments at a Senate hearing this week. Watch her full remarks and questions here. “Last month, I was visiting childcare providers in rural and small town Minnesota, and they shared with me the enormous impact the shortage of affordable childcare is having on families and local businesses. Everything that I have learned from talking to families and providers and local businesses in Minnesota is that this market for childcare is broken,” said Senator Smith. “When the pandemic hit, we acted to provide the childcare sector with relief funds, which was designed to save and stabilize the sector, increase compensation for workers, and make childcare more affordable and accessible for parents, all of which it did very successfully. But now we face the expiration of these Child Care Stabilization Grants. We must now extend this critical grant program, which is essential to keep families, providers and our economy
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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