Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Majority Leader John Thune Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support American Honey Producers Harmed by China’s Unfair Trade Practices
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) introduced the Trade Cheating Restitution Act of 2025, legislation that would support American honey producers and producers of other commodities, like crawfish, garlic, and mushrooms, who have been harmed by unfair trade practices, primarily by China. For decades, Minnesota honey producers harmed by unfair Chinese trade practices have been waiting for relief they were entitled to by law. This legislation would return wrongfully withheld interest from duties that were imposed for cheating American trade rules back to qualifying producers, including beekeepers. “Minnesota farmers produce some of the highest quality honey in the world, and they shouldn’t be unfairly harmed because China doesn’t play by the rules and engages in illegal dumping,” said Senator Smith. “I’m proud to lead this bipartisan bill to give Minnesota apiaries the relief they are owed so they can remain competitive and strong for years to come.” “South Dakota is one of the top honey-producing states in the country,” said Senator Thune. “The unfair practice of circumventing U.S. trade laws, which jeopardizes honey producers’ financial security, should be met with strict enforcement and increased protections. South Dakota honey producers deserve a level playing field. This bipartisan legislation helps ensure fair treatment for affected domestic producers and strengthens their ability to compete globally.” “On behalf of Minnesotan beekeepers, I want to thank Senator Smith for introducing the Trade Cheating Restitution Act of 2025 along with other members of Congress that will provide long-overdue relief,” said Burt Honl
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, John Hoeven, Amy Klobuchar and Kevin Cramer Send Bipartisan Letter Urging Postmaster General to Address Chronic Postal Delays Across Minnesota, North Dakota
WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), John Hoeven (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) urged the Postmaster General to take action to improve postal services in the Minnesota-North Dakota Postal District. As the holiday season continues and the volume of mail increases, it’s especially important to ensure there aren’t delivery delays across the two states. “As our constituents prepare for the busy holiday season, we urge you to take actions to ensure that any performance issues are resolved in a timely manner so that Minnesotans and North Dakotans do not experience significant service disruptions this winter,” wrote the Senators. “For Minnesotans and North Dakotans, the Postal Service is an essential lifeline, delivering prescriptions, pay checks, and messages from loved ones. During the holiday season, it is even more essential. Any service disruptions within the MN-ND District create real consequences for the people who rely on your services, and as Postmaster General, we look to you to provide timely action to address these critical issues,” they concluded. You can read full text of the letter here or below. Dear Postmaster General Steiner, We write to highlight the importance of timely and reliable mail delivery within the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) Minnesota-North Dakota District, especially during this peak holiday season. As our constituents prepare for the busy holiday season, we urge you to take actions to ensure that any performance issues are resolved in a timely manner so that Minnesotans and North Dakotans do not experience significant service disruptions this winter.
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Adam Schiff, and Colleagues Urge Housing and Urban Development Secretary to Fund Critical Homelessness Programs
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), top Democrat on the Senate Housing Subcommittee, and Adam Schiff (D-CA) led a letter to the Trump Administration demanding congressionally-appropriated funding for Continuum of Care (CoC) programs aimed at combatting homelessness is allowed to flow. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is required by law to obligate these funds no later than 45 days after the issuance of award letters, a deadline which passed on March 4, 2025. The Senators criticized the Trump administration for freezing this funding, creating unnecessary chaos amid a national housing crisis. There is a shortage
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Helps Introduce Legislation to Restore National Park and Forest Service Staffing, Protect Public Lands
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) helped introduce two bills to address the consequences of recent federal staff cuts at the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The Protect Our Parks Act of 2025 and the Save Our Forests Act of 2025 will fully restore staffing levels at both agencies, ensuring that America’s national parks and forests remain accessible, safe, and well-maintained. This comes on the heels of Senator Smith bringing a fired Park Ranger from Voyageurs National Park to President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress last week. The Trump administration’s mass firings have led
U.S. SENATOR TINA SMITH REINTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO REPEAL THE COMSTOCK ACT
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) reintroduced her landmark legislation to repeal an arcane 1873 law, the Comstock Act, that anti-choice extremists have repeatedly invoked as a backdoor means to effectively ban abortion nationwide without a single act of Congress. The Comstock Act is a centerpiece of Project 2025, the blueprint that Donald Trump and his Administration are following, and if misused, this ancient law would effectively end access to medication abortion nationwide without a single act of Congress. Donald Trump has installed an anti-abortion extremist as head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Press the Administration on Potential Closure of Paul Wellstone Federal Building in Minneapolis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) wrote a letter demanding answers about reported plans to close and sell the Paul Wellstone Federal Building in Minneapolis. This building provides key federal services, including housing assistance, worker protections, and passport processing. In a letter to General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Stephen Ehikian, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, National Labor Relations Board Chairman Marvin E. Kaplan, and Bureau of Consular Affairs Senior Official John Armstrong, the Senators warned that shutting it down would put these essential services at risk. “Abrupt closure of the Wellstone Building would
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