Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Reintroduce Bill to Secure Critical Federal Funding for Northeastern Minnesota Counties
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) reintroduced their bill to provide critical federal funding for northeastern Minnesota counties hosting federal wilderness lands. Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties benefit from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) as a world-renowned tourist destination, but they also forgo property taxes and other potential revenue streams. The bill would restore fairness to the longstanding Thye-Blatnik payment system and prevent massive cuts in county revenue now or in the future. “For decades, Thye-Blatnik payments have provided critical funding to northern Minnesota counties that host federal wilderness lands. This bill is necessary to prevent them from facing serious financial hardship,” said Senator Smith. “By setting a permanent floor for these payments, my bill ensures these counties have the resources they need for infrastructure, public safety, and other essential services for decades to come.” “Thye-Blatnik payments support law enforcement, firefighters, infrastructure improvements, and search-and-rescue operations within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness,” said Senator Klobuchar. “These services benefit not only the Minnesotans who live in the area, but also the visitors who travel there from around the state and nation to spend time in the federal forest and wilderness areas.” Congress passed the Thye-Blatnik Act over 70 years ago, which directed the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire lands within the future BWCAW and set up a system of annual compensation payments to the host counties. These funds go towards essential services like roadway infrastructure and public safety, and help the counties accurately plan their budgets. The most
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Pens Op-Ed Announcing She Will Not Seek Reelection in 2026
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), penned an op-ed in the Minnesota Star Tribune announcing her decision not to seek re-election to the United States Senate once her six-year term ends in 2027. During her tenure, Senator Smith has lowered costs for prescription drugs, fought for true mental health parity, helped to pass the most significant climate legislation in history, and served as a champion for rural communities. She plans to carry forward her work standing up for all Minnesotans in the Senate – whether it is protecting access to reproductive care, lowering housing costs, defending the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, or getting a new Farm Bill across the finish line. A full list of Senator Smith’s accomplishments is available here. You can read Senator Smith’s op-ed explaining her decision here and below. Additionally, Senator Smith spoke about her decision in a video address to Minnesota, that you can watch here: Dear Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith I wanted you to hear directly from me that I have decided not to run for re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2026. I know my decision may come as a surprise. After all, we live in a time when elected officials tend to continue their service well past what the rest of us consider to be “retirement age.” And I understand, I really do, why it’s so hard for people to walk away from this job. I’ll never have a greater honor than working for the people of Minnesota. That said, politicians are human
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Co-Leads a Bicameral Push to Renew Expired Funding for Childcare
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bob Casey (D-PA), along with members of the House of Representatives, led a bicameral group of their colleagues in urging congressional leadership to renew expired funding for childcare in any supplemental funding package. Funding from the American Rescue Plan Act expired in September, and the state of childcare continues to be in crisis mode. Without this funding, many childcare providers have either closed or struggle to keep their doors open for working families. The letter comes on the heels of President Biden’s request to Congress
Tina Smith, 13 Senate Colleagues’ Statement on Humanitarian Aid to Civilians in Gaza
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who led a group of Senators including Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), in releasing the following statement: “The tragic war in Gaza, initiated by Hamas terrorist attacks on innocent civilians on October 7, is causing heartbreaking suffering among Israelis, Palestinians and citizens of other nations living in the region.
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Applauds Senate Passage of Her Bipartisan Amendment to Improve Farm Service Agency Staffing to Better Serve Farmers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) celebrated the Senate passage of her bipartisan amendment to improve staffing at local USDA offices, which are often the first point of contact for farmers looking to make use of federal services. Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices are critically under-staffed and too often unable to meet the needs of farmers. This bipartisan amendment, which is co-led by Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and cosponsored by Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), Senator Katie Britt (R-AL), and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), would help improve staffing at these local offices and improve
As Child Labor Violations Skyrocket, Senators Smith, Casey, Murray Introduce Legislation to Combat Child Labor Exploitation
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) introducing comprehensive labor legislation to protect children from exploitative child labor practices and hold companies and individuals who take advantage of them accountable. The Children Harmed in Life-threatening or Dangerous (CHILD) Labor Act cracks down on employers who violate child labor laws with much stronger federal penalties and allows children who have been exploited to sue their employers. The bill authorizes the Department of Labor to label and restrict the shipping of goods that are produced with child labor. It also provides
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