Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Rep. Katherine Clark Reintroduce Legislation to Improve School Climates
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA5) reintroduced legislation to improve support for youth in schools. The bill, called the Trauma-Informed Schools Act, would support training for teachers and staff in the development of positive school culture and help schools support young people struggling with adversity. The bill is co-led by Congressmen Mike Quigley (D-IL5) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA1) and Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-OR6). “Young students are experiencing unique challenges in school as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased social media use, and lack of access to mental health care. More than 1 in 5 young people today struggle with their mental health, and that number is rising. We need to do more to provide them with the support they need to succeed,” said Senator Smith. “I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation, which will help schools address childhood trauma and build positive school cultures so that all students and adults are welcome and supported in school buildings.” “America is in the throes of a mental health crisis, and our kids are experiencing the worst of it,” said Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. “Overcoming this epidemic means equipping our schools with trained, trauma-informed professionals who can help students navigate whatever challenges they may encounter, both in and out of the classroom. The Trauma-Informed Schools Act makes that possible — giving the next generation a fair shot by providing the emotional and social support they need to succeed.” “Trauma is difficult for anyone to process, but for children and teens, it can be especially life-changing and impact their ability to succeed
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads 29 Colleagues in Push for Robust Rural Housing Funding
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) led 29 of her Senate colleagues in a push for more funding for rural housing programs in the FY2025 Appropriations bill. In their letter, the Senators noted that rural communities saw only a 1.7% increase in the number of housing units between 2010 and 2020, with almost half of states seeing a decrease in the number of rural units. According to the Minnesota Housing Partnership, every county in Minnesota has a shortage of affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income households. 79% of counties have a shortage that exceeds 100 homes, and 31% have a shortage exceeding 500 homes. “Without a safe, decent, affordable place to call home, nothing in your life works – not your job, your health, your education or your family,” said Senator Smith. “While the housing crisis is hurting communities across the country, the burden has been especially hard on small towns and rural communities. The severe shortage of affordable housing is hurting rural America’s ability to prosper, and it is imperative we direct more funding to address this housing shortage and finally bring our communities some relief. “Against this backdrop, federal rural housing programs have shrunk to the point that only about 3,500 direct loans are available for low-income families to purchase or build their own home, the lowest level since 1957. Funding to preserve rental and farm labor housing is meager by any standard and by no means adequate to provide new housing opportunities or preserve existing housing resources,” wrote the Senators. “In the coming years, the number of maturing Section 515 mortgages will
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce $22M Federal Investment in Minnesota to Support Vaccine Distribution, Cover Cost of Ventilators
WASHINGTON, D.C. [2/16/21]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded two grants that total more than $22 million to the Minnesota Department of Health. A $15 million grant will support efforts to distribute and administer the COVID-19 vaccine at 10 vaccination centers across Minnesota. A $7,397,990.26 grant will help cover the cost of ventilators and ventilator accessories purchased during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020. “This federal funding to support vaccine distribution and help cover the cost of ventilators is vital as we work to fight this pandemic and lessen the financial burden on our state budget,” said Sen.
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Voting to Convict Former President Donald Trump
WASHINGTON, D.C. [2/13/21]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement: “The facts and the evidence were overwhelming—former President Donald Trump lied for months to his supporters, summoned them to Washington, and incited a violent insurrection against our government and our democracy,” said Sen. Smith. “I voted to convict because no reasonable person could believe this would have happened without his betrayal.”
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Roger Wicker Propose Bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Fix for Rural Hospitals
WASHINGTON, D.C. [2/16/21]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced their bipartisan PPP Access for Rural Hospitals Act, which would waive the Small Business Administration (SBA) affiliation rules for non-profit critical access hospitals and hospitals that serve rural areas so that they may qualify for PPP loans. Granting smaller non-profit and rural hospitals access to the PPP program would allow facilities to retain critical staff and focus their resources on providing quality care to patients for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. “Rural hospitals are vital to public health – they’re economic engines for communities in Minnesota and states
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood Introduce Bill to Bolster Vaccination Efforts and Keep Families Healthy
WASHINGTON, D.C. [2/11/21]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL 14) recently introduced their Community Immunity During COVID-19 Act, which would support local efforts to boost routine vaccinations, and ensure that immunization providers and local organizations can lead community-specific initiatives to reach all community members, particularly underserved populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we can’t afford to fall behind on routine vaccinations and risk losing progress in preventing once-common diseases, like measles,” said Senator Smith. “This is especially important for children, who are recommended to get pediatric vaccinations at certain stages in their development. In my home state
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