Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Homes Act to Tackle America’s Housing Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chair of the Senate Housing, Transportation and Community Development Subcommittee, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) today unveiled legislation that would reimagine housing in America, making a historic and long overdue investment in our housing supply. The bill would help build and preserve as many as 1.3 million homes in small towns, big cities, and rural communities; and help families everywhere find a quality, affordable place to call home. Smith and Ocasio-Cortez are joined on the legislation by Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and 34 members in the House of Representatives. “Without a safe, decent and affordable place to live, nothing in your life works. It becomes nearly impossible to hold a job, go to school, or stay healthy,” said Senator Smith. “Our country is facing a housing crisis, with annual supply falling dramatically behind demand. Our proposal would serve renters, and homebuyers alike, providing millions of Americans in rural and urban communities with more options for a quality, affordable place to call home—with the sense of stability, security, comfort and pride that should come with it. Housing is a human right—this is a bill that meets the urgency of the moment we are in.” “Every day, we see families grappling with the harsh reality of the housing crisis—skyrocketing rents, evictions, and homelessness—while big banks and Wall Street prioritize profit over people. The Homes Act is our bold response to this crisis, investing $300 billion over the next decade to ensure everyone can access an affordable home,” said Rep. Ocasio-Cortez. “We
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Reps. Angie Craig, Brad Finstad Reintroduce Bill to Improve Access to Job Training in Schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN02) and Brad Finstad (R-MN01) reintroduced legislation to expand partnerships between schools and businesses to help ensure a future workforce that is trained and qualified for the jobs and careers employers are hiring for. Many employers struggle to find qualified workers across several industries, including manufacturing, agriculture, and health care. Schools and employers are already building programs and partnerships like those outlined in the billto equip students with the skills needed to secure these jobs, but the lawmakers recognize that the need warrants greater federal investments to support these programs. “Workforce partnerships give students the opportunity to develop the skills they need for jobs that are available, often without taking on huge amounts of debt,” said Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Education Committee. “But what I’ve learned is that oftentimes, students aren’t aware of—or don’t have access to—local programs that provide the training these jobs require. Our bill aims to fix this issue by expanding partnerships between schools and local employers. We know these partnerships work, and our goal is to make sure they are available for more Minnesotans and Americans.” The 21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act would establish grant programs at the U.S. Department of Education to introduce middle and high school students to career exploration and career pathway opportunities. It would also fund grants to foster partnerships between higher education institutions and businesses to provide career training programs which lead to postsecondary degrees. “Expanding workforce partnerships and apprenticeship programs means more Minnesotans are connected to good-paying job opportunities, without taking on the burden of student loans,” said Rep. Craig. “My bipartisan bill with Sen.
Klobuchar, Smith, Bipartisan Group of Colleagues Urge Extension of Pandemic Telehealth Services
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined 45 of their colleagues in a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging congressional leaders to include an extension for expanded telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries. This telehealth service expansion began during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing patients nationwide to access telehealth services from a wider range of eligible health care providers. “We strongly support permanently expanding Medicare coverage of telehealth and removing other barriers to the use of telehealth because of its ability to expand access to care, reduce costs, and improve health outcomes. While Congress prepares to enact permanent telehealth
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on the Fatal Shooting of Amir Locke
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/04/22]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith released the following statement on the fatal shooting of Amir Locke: “Another family is mourning the sudden and tragic loss of their son, Amir Locke, who had his whole life ahead of him. He was only 22.” “The body cam video from the shooting is deeply disturbing. Minneapolis police storm an apartment on a no-knock warrant and within seconds have shot and killed Amir Locke, who moments before appeared to be wrapped in a blanket sleeping on a couch.” “The Minneapolis Police Department must immediately explain how it could have released an early
Senators Klobuchar, Smith Announce Increased Funding Opportunity for Minnesota Infrastructure Projects
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/02/22] — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (Both D-Minn.), announced the expansion of a popular program which helps fund local infrastructure projects. In 2021, the program (RAISE) funded 90 projects in 47 states, including two large projects in Minnesota. The $1.5 billion in available funding for 2022 represents a 50 percent increase compared to last year thanks to the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Senators Klobuchar and Smith helped pass in November 2021. “Investments in transportation infrastructure serve as down-payments on the economic well-being of our state and country,” said Senator Klobuchar. “RAISE
Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Help Veterans Get Care for Hearing Loss, Their Most Common Service-Related Health Issue
WASHINGTON [2.1.22] — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced legislation to reduce the red tape many veterans face when trying to get care for hearing loss as a result of their service—something many veterans say is an enormous burden despite being the most common service-connected ailment. Sen. Smith heard about this problem through her office’s veterans’ health care tour, which visited some 10 communities throughout Minnesota to hear what health challenges veterans are facing. “If you’ve served our country and experienced a health related issue because of it, it’s our job to take care of you. That’s the agreement
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