Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Reintroduces Bill to Help Schools Overcome Teacher Shortages in Minnesota, Across the Country
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.21.23] – This week, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Education Committee—reintroduced legislation to help schools and districts in Minnesota and across the country facing teacher shortages. Ahead of the 2022- 2023 academic year, 78 percent of schools nationwide found it difficult to find qualified teachers for special education and science, according to surveys of school leaders. There is an urgent need for STEM, career and technical education, and special education teachers. Additionally, there is a severe lack of racial diversity—nationwide teachers of color comprise only 18 percent of the teacher workforce. “I hear from Minnesota school superintendents every summer about the many vacancies they’re struggling to fill, an issue that has only gotten harder in the past few years and is even more challenging in small, rural school districts,” said Sen. Smith. “And it’s especially difficult to hire teachers in key subjects like STEM, technical education and special education. Ultimately, these shortages hurt our kids and diminish their opportunities. My bill will help schools overcome these challenges and help ensure students get the best education possible.” Sen. Smith’s bill—the Addressing Teacher Shortages Act—would provide grants to school districts to help them attract and retain the quality teachers they need. The bill would also fund U.S. Department of Education efforts to help smaller and under-resourced districts apply for grants. Funding under the grant program could be used to establish or expand: The grant funding would be distributed competitively with at least 25 percent going to
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Senate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Housing, Health Care and Self-Governance in Native Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.20.23] – This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), announced three pieces of her bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing key issues in Native communities passed the Senate. The bills would improve health care for urban Indigenous communities, strengthen self-governance agreements, and help increase homeownership in Native communities. All three pieces of legislation will now move to the House of Representatives for a vote. “Whenever I meet with Native leaders, three of the top issues I hear about are inadequate housing and health care and the importance of self-governance,” said Smith. “I worked with my Republican colleagues to introduce these pieces of legislation to take on these challenges and address the needs of Tribes in Minnesota and around the country. These bills would create easier pathways for homeownership in Native communities, improve the Indian Health System, and bolster self-governance agreements. I’m thrilled to see them pass the Senate and get one step closer to becoming law.” Senator Smith’s bills include:
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Presses Administration to Quickly Change Tax Rules Blocking Cooperatives From Expanding Rural Broadband
WASHINGTON, D.C. [10/31/18]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) urged the Trump Administration to ensure cooperatives don’t lose their tax-exempt status if they receive government grants to expand rural broadband in Minnesota and across the country. Sen. Smith said that the Republican tax law passed last year threatens the tax-exempt status of rural telephone and electric cooperatives in Minnesota and across the country because of a provision meant to tax for-profit companies. In a letter Wednesday, Sen. Smith pushed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig to use their administrative authority to fix the unintended consequences of the provision, which
Klobuchar, Smith, Nolan Announce Success in Adding Kanabec County to Recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Declaration Following Major Flooding
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and Congressman Rick Nolan announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has updated its major disaster declaration to include Kanabec County following this summer’s major flooding. The change comes after Klobuchar, Smith, and Nolan sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regional Administrator James Joseph last month urging him to reconsider the denial of FEMA disaster relief funding to Kanabec County and extend the relevant incident period to July 12, 2018, in the wake of flooding in the area. “This disaster relief is greatly needed given the extent of
Klobuchar, Smith, Nolan Announce More than $5.6 Million Loan for Electric Grid Improvements in Two Harbors
WASHINGTON– U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and Representative Rick Nolan announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded Cooperative Light and Power Association of Lake County a loan of $5,670,000 for infrastructure improvements. “This investment will strengthen the Northland’s economy for years to come,” Klobuchar said. “Projects like this not only boost the economy, but also support good-paying jobs and maintain the services Minnesotans rely on.” “Improving our electric grid infrastructure is vital to building a 21st century economy that works for everyone,” Smith said. “This investment will connect more Minnesotans with the power they need and spur rural development in the
Klobuchar, Smith Announce More Than $46 Million for Minnesota’s Basic Health Program, MinnesotaCare
WASHINGTON– U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded $46,276,090 in additional payments to Minnesota for their Basic Health Program (BHP). Established by the Affordable Care Act, states have the option to create a BHP for low-income citizens, providing healthcare coverage to those who do not qualify for programs like Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CMS estimates that qualified health plan premiums in Minnesota would have been 18.8 percent higher if it was not operating their BHP, MinnesotaCare. “Minnesota has a long, bipartisan history of innovation and
English