Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Access to Mental Health Clinics
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act, which would improve access to mental health services nationwide. This bill would make it easier for seniors on Medicare to get care at Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), specialized clinics that provide mental health and substance use services. The bill would also ensure that these specialized clinics can continue to provide quality care to patients by ensuring that they receive adequate reimbursements from Medicaid. “Everybody deserves access to mental health care, regardless of their zip code,” said Senator Tina Smith. “Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers know the importance of treating the whole patient, and we need to do more to make this model of mental health care accessible and sustainable. I’m grateful to my former colleagues Senator Stabenow and Senator Blunt for laying the groundwork for this initiative. It’s an honor to be its new champion in the Senate.” Minnesota currently operates 22 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) that use a recovery-oriented philosophy, supporting pathways to success for individuals recovering from mental illness and substance use disorders. CCBHCs ensure access to coordinated behavioral health, including through medication-assisted recovery – the combined use of medication and counseling – to provide effective support for recovery. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 codified a permanent CCBHC option for states under the Medicaid program, but further action is now needed to establish CCBHCs in Medicare to allow comparable status and designated payment as other health care
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on President Trump’s Targeting of Somalis in Twin Cities
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement in response to reporting that President Trump is directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to launch a raid targeting the Somali community in the Twin Cities: “When Donald Trump calls all Somalis ‘garbage’, he’s talking about the people who run your favorite deli in Minneapolis, the nurse who takes care of you at the hospital, the home health aide looking after your aging parent, the military veteran who served this country, your local and federal elected leaders, and hardworking patriotic American taxpayers who came to this country legally. “I know many of our Somali friends and neighbors are fearful as the Trump Administration threatens ICE raids specifically targeting them in the Twin Cities. I urge you to understand your rights, have your documents with you, and seek out help from an immigration attorney if you have specific questions. The Minneapolis Police Department is urging residents to call 911 if you see suspicious activity and masked agents raiding homes to confirm the activity is being conducted by real federal agents.”
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Push Administration to Reinstate Duluth EPA Lab Workers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), joined by 16 of her Senate colleagues, called on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to reinstate workers placed on administrative leave for expressing concern with the agency’s direction under the Trump Administration. Senator Smith is standing up for EPA employees in Duluth, Minnesota. These employees faced disciplinary action for signing a “Declaration of Dissent” about the agency’s leadership. In the letter to Administrator Zeldin, the Senators emphasize that public employees have the right to speak their views on issues that matter to them in their personal lives under the First
Minnesota Housing Organizations Celebrate Smith’s Bipartisan Rural Housing, Homelessness Bills Advancing in U.S. Senate
ST. PAUL, MN – Minnesota housing organizations from across the state are celebrating legislation by U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), top Democrat on the Senate Housing Subcommittee, advancing to the Senate floor. Smith’s bills were included in the first comprehensive, national housing reform legislative package in over a decade, dubbed the ROAD to Housing Act of 2025, which passed the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee unanimously (24-0). “The lack of safe, decent, affordable housing in this country is a choice that we’re making, but with this new legislative package, we’re choosing a different path. For the first time
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Todd Young Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Farmers, Analyze Long-Term Soil Health
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Todd Young (R-IN) reintroduced bipartisan legislation that will help bolster soil research and improve agricultural resilience and productivity in the Midwest and across the country. Experts estimate that American farmers could store up to 220 billion pounds of carbon annually across all US croplands. However, current technology cannot accurately measure soil carbon levels, impacting our ability to track soil health improvements, correlate those improvements with on-farm benefits, and reward farmers for their contributions to environmental health and resilience. “Farmers in Minnesota understand the importance of having reliably healthy, productive soil,” said
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bipartisan Housing Legislation Unanimously Passes Key Senate Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), the top Democrat on the Senate Housing Subcommittee, announced that two of her major bipartisan bills aimed at combatting America’s housing crisis were included in a package that passed unanimously (24 – 0) out of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee. Smith’s bills were focused on rural housing and combatting homelessness. The package of bills that passed the committee earlier today, the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act of 2025, represents the first comprehensive national legislation on housing since the 2008 financial crisis. “The lack of
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