Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces $22.3 Million in USDA Funding Available to Organizations Helping Veterans, Non-traditional Farmers Get into Agriculture
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making up to $22.3 million available to fund efforts that help non-traditional farmers and veterans in Minnesota and across the country get into agriculture. “Too often, Minnesota residents from communities who traditionally have not been involved in agriculture, as well as veterans, find barriers to getting into farming,” said Sen Smith. “The 2501 Program helps to remedy that, and I’m proud to champion its reauthorization in the Senate. These funds are available to groups, organizations, and higher education institutions that want to assist them in getting started. I encourage those eligible to apply for this opportunity.” Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, leads the bill in the Senate to reauthorize the “Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Grant Program” – or the 2501 Program – that is funded by USDA and set to be included in the Farm Bill. Smith has long been a champion of the 2501 Program and pushed to reauthorize and expand the funding during the debate over the 2018 Farm Bill – which was ultimately signed into law. Information on how to apply can be found below: Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, community-based organizations, and a range of higher education institutions serving African-American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic, Asian, and Pacific Islander communities. The deadline for applications is July 15, 2024. See the 2501 Program page for more information on the 2501 funding opportunity. USDA Teleconferences to Help With Application Process USDA will host two teleconferences during
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Federal Funding to Identify, Replace Minnesota’s Lead Pipes
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-Minn.) announced Minnesota will receive historic funding to identify and replace lead pipes across the state. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, drinking, breathing, eating or touching food, water and other materials that contain lead can damage the brain, kidneys, and nervous system. In children, lead can also slow development or cause learning, behavior, and hearing problems. Minnesota is receiving a total of $86,566,000 from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar and Smith helped pass, to support the Biden Administration’s goal of replacing every lead pipe in America. “Lead exposure from aging water pipes is dangerous and it’s long past time for an upgrade,” said Senator Klobuchar. “With this federal funding, Minnesota will identify and replace old service lines to protect our water supply from lead contamination.” “Minnesotans know the value of clean water—in fact, we were the first state to put statewide water quality standards in place over 50 years ago,” said Senator Smith. “This is an investment in the health and safety of Minnesota families, including families living in underserved communities who have historically been left out of infrastructure upgrades. I was proud to support the President’s legislation to deliver this funding.” “All Minnesotans should have access to safe, clean drinking water. Right now, there are more than 100,000 lead water service lines around our state leaching lead into drinking water and threatening our health,” said Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Brooke Cunningham. “We are tremendously grateful to the Environmental Protection Agency for their support and
U.S. Senators Tina Smith & Dick Durbin, U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider Introduce Bill to Help State, Local Governments Provide Paid Leave to Employees During Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/9/21]—U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced a key measure to help state and local governments provide paid leave to public employees who can’t work due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A bipartisan House companion bill was introduced by U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (IL-10). The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, enacted last year, provided tax credits to private-sector employers to cover the costs of paid leave during the pandemic. Congress also extended those tax credits through 2021 in a bipartisan measure enacted in December 2020. But those measures did not make public-sector employers eligible for paid leave credits. The lack of access to the paid leave credits is putting
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Urges Amazon to Recognize Workers Seeking Union Representation Ahead of Key National Labor Relations Board Vote
WASHINGTON, D.C. [2/8/21]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—who has long been fighting for Amazon workers, including those at the Amazon fulfillment center in Shakopee, Minn.—and a group of her colleagues are urging Amazon to do right by its workers and support workers’ efforts to freely exercise their right to organize a union. In their letter sent to current Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, and his successor, Amazon Web Services CEO Andy Jassy, Sen. Smith and her colleagues expressed support for Amazon workers seeking to organize a union with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). The senators also pushed
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Says Congressional Passage of Budget Resolution Creates Pathway to Urgently Needed COVID-19 Relief in Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/05/21]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said today that Congressional passage of a $1.9 trillion budget resolution early Friday morning sets the country on a pathway to urgently needed relief from the coronavirus pandemic that in the past year has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans and upended the economic well-being of families, businesses, and communities in Minnesota and across the country. Sen. Smith said the resolution creates a roadmap for Congressional committees to begin work on the wide-range of efforts needed to address the devastating impact the virus has already had on the country, including funding for vaccine distribution
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Evergreen Action & Data For Progress Highlight New Report Outlining How Congress Can Pass Clean Electricity Standard
WASHINGTON, D.C. [2/4/21]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—who has been a longtime leader in policymaking to support our clean energy economy—joined Evergreen Action and Data for Progress to launch a new report: A Roadmap to 100% Clean Electricity by 2035. Last Congress, Sen. Smith introduced legislation to establish a federal Clean Electricity Standard (CES) to achieve net-zero emissions in the electric sector by midcentury and this Congress she will push for the strongest CES that can get passed. Today, she joined experts from Evergreen and Data For Progress, as well as Dr. Leah Stokes, to discuss the report and their insights
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