Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar Announce Clean Energy Support for Three Minnesota Tribes
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, and Amy Klobuchar (both D-Minn.) announced federal funding to connect Tribal homes to clean electricity, including homes previously not connected to electricity at all. Minnesota Tribes selected for funding include Prairie Island Indian Community, Red Lake Nation and Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. The grants are made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which Senators Smith and Klobuchar both supported. “For generations, Native communities have been hurt by underinvestment and underfunding of basic infrastructure. Our transition to a clean energy economy can’t leave Indian Country behind,” said Senator Smith. “This funding gets us closer to ensuring every household in Minnesota, including on Tribal lands, have access to clean electricity.” “This federal grant will deliver critical clean energy infrastructure improvements,” said Senator Klobuchar.“Investments into clean electricity are vital for securing the power grid in Tribal communities and bolstering the transition to renewable energy.” “This investment in Indian Country and, specifically, the Prairie Island Indian Community, will literally help create a brighter future for our people,” said Prairie Island Tribal Council President Grant Johnson. “Achieving energy sovereignty while eliminating or offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions on Prairie Island is the goal of our net zero program. This grant will allow us to make electrification improvements to our members’ home and involve them more directly in our efforts to change our energy narrative and achieve our net zero goal.” “We are excited and honored to have received the funding from the Biden-Harris Administration America Agenda to Electrify Homes Across Indian Country with Clean Energy. This funding will assist us in the implementation capacity
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Kevin Cramer, John Fetterman and Katie Britt Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Domestic Bus Manufacturing Market
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) led her colleagues Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Fetterman (D-PA) and Katie Britt (R-AL) in introducing bipartisan legislation to cut red tape and reform the domestic bus manufacturing industry by providing more flexibility for local transit systems when purchasing buses. Current U.S. standards impose outdated, 40-year-old payment practices on our bus manufacturers and purchasers, which result in unnecessarily high costs. Many domestic bus manufacturers have gone bankrupt or left the market, despite high demand for new vehicles. The Bus Rolling Stock Modernization Act would help fix this problem.The legislation allows bus manufacturers to apply for advanced payments up to 20%, enabling them to invest in the labor and machinery needed to meet demand of transit agencies and keep production costs down. “Each day, transit systems connect Minnesotans to their jobs, schools, grocery stores and countless other opportunities – all while reducing traffic congestion and pollution,” said Senator Smith. “This bill makes a straightforward and commonsense update to the current FTA regulations that would cut unnecessary red tape and strengthen the domestic bus manufacturing market. This small change will also support U.S. bus manufacturing jobs, get more buses into service, and help Americans get to their work, school, and health care appointments more easily.” “This legislation represents a bipartisan effort to revitalize the bus manufacturing industry across America. This simple change will have the dual benefit of much-needed flexibility for local transit agencies and contracting stability for manufacturers like Motor Coach Industries in Pembina North Dakota. This helps pave the way for further investment and job
Cassidy, Smith, Sullivan, Jones Introduce ‘Enhancing Preparedness Through Telehealth Act’
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Doug Jones (D-AL) today introduced legislation that directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to inventory telehealth programs across the country to learn how telehealth can be used more effectively in future health emergencies. “Telehealth has been instrumental in connecting patients and health care professionals during Covid-19. It saves lives, allows doctors to spend more time with patients, and allows access to care for those who normally could not access. This bill examines what’s worked across the country so we can more effectively respond to future health emergencies,” said
U.S. Senator Tina Smith in Senate Floor Speech: “Pass the Justice in Policing Act”
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/17/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) delivered her second in a series of Senate floor speeches focused on finding solutions to address systemic racism and much-needed changes in policing. In her remarks, Sen. Smith highlighted the need to pass the Justice in Policing Act. You can access video of Sen. Smith’s remarks here. “The Senate needs to act now to take up and pass the Justice in Policing Act. I joined my colleagues, Senators Booker and Harris, in introducing this bill last week, and I am grateful for their strong leadership towards creating a more fair and equitable justice system,” said Sen. Smith
Klobuchar, Smith Call For Permanent Expansion of Telehealth Provisions
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) in a bipartisan group of 30 colleagues calling for the expansion of access to telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries made during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to be permanent. New data shows that the number of Medicare beneficiaries using telehealth services increased by 11,718 percent in just a month and a half during the pandemic. “Americans have benefited significantly from this expansion of telehealth and have come to rely on its availability,” the senators wrote. “Congress should expand access to telehealth services on a
In Senate Banking Committee Hearing, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell Agrees with U.S. Senator Tina Smith that Racial Inequities May Worsen If Congress Doesn’t Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/16/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) pressed Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on the long-lasting inequities that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated. She also emphasized the importance of long-term rental assistance as a way to prevent a full-blown housing and eviction crisis in Minnesota and across the country. Sen. Smith—who has held affordable housing listening sessions across Minnesota—told Powell that COVID-19 is not the great equalizer. She said that this crisis has hit working families the hardest, most of whom were already struggling to pay rent and maintain stable housing before the pandemic. Sen. Smith especially highlighted the disparate impact of COVID-19 on
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