Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces Clean Energy Projects for Minnesota Farms and Small Businesses
[MINNEAPOLIS, MN] – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced funding awards for 27 farms and small businesses across rural and Greater Minnesota to install clean energy technology on their farms. This round of funding for Minnesota totals nearly $2 million. This initiative is possible through the more than $144 million in grant funding for underutilized renewable technologies through the Renewable Energy for America (REAP) program, which Senator Smith championed and strengthened in the Inflation Reduction Act. “The clean energy transition is happening, the question is whether we lead or follow. I want us to lead,” said Senator Smith. “But as we make the switch to cleaner, cheaper energy, we need to make sure everyone benefits. That’s one reason programs like REAP, which helps rural communities install renewable energy systems, are so important. These investments will save farms and small businesses across Minnesota thousands of dollars a year in energy costs while helping reduce harmful emissions.” “I applied and received a grant for my new mixed flow grain dryer,” said John Kapphahn, a farmer from Elbow Lake. “We had an older continuous flow dryer that was about 20 years old that was destroyed by a tornado. The new dryer has cut our operating expense for drying corn by at least 50% with better quality grain.” “The REAP grant funding helped us to add a rooftop solar array to our dairy farm,” said Alan Abrahamson from Lindstrom. “As a small dairy farm anything we can do to reduce our
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Ron Wyden Re-Introduce Legislation to Strengthen Mental Health Care Coverage, Hold Insurance Companies Accountable
WASHINGTON — Last week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced legislation to improve coverage for mental health and substance use disorder care. Specifically, the Behavioral Health Network and Directory Improvement Act would crack down on health insurance tactics of posting incomplete, inaccurate lists of providers – called “ghost networks”— and create stronger enforcement standards to protect those seeking mental health care. “Mental health needs to be treated with the same urgency as physical health, and that means making sure everyone has access to the mental health care they need without unnecessary delays and barriers,” said Sen. Smith. “By law, insurance companies should cover mental health just like they cover physical health, yet they’re still finding ways to dodge compliance and deny coverage to customers. By setting stricter standards and holding insurance companies accountable for inaccurate listings, this legislation will help ensure people have access to the mental health care coverage they deserve.” “Amid a nationwide mental health crisis, it’s outrageous how common it is for people in need of treatment to find that their health insurance is almost useless when they try to see a mental health provider,” said Sen. Wyden. “In the worst cases these ghost networks are essentially a fraudulent product, but health insurance companies continue to sell those policies for top dollar. In just about any other industry, the customer would be owed a refund. This bill is about closing gaps in federal law and establishing real accountability for health insurance companies that continue to sell these ghost network insurance policies.” Ghost health care provider networks are providers listed by private insurance companies as
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Dick Durbin to Introduce Legislative Fix to Help State and Local Governments Provide Paid Leave During Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/28/20]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) announced plans to introduce a legislative fix that would help state and local governments provide public employees with paid leave when they need it most. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires many public and private employers to provide paid leave for workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic. That law provides tax credits to private-sector employers to cover the costs of paid leave. But the package did not extend those tax credits to public-sector employers. This is putting a financial strain on state and local governments at a time when many are grappling with additional costs brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. The senators’ legislation will fix this problem by making state, local and Tribal governments eligible
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bipartisan Work Makes Minnesota Rural Hospitals Now Eligible for Coronavirus Relief Loans
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/24/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Banking, Indian Affairs, Health and Agriculture Committees—said today that the U.S. Department of the Treasury heeded her bipartisan call with Republican Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) to provide relief to rural hospitals amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by making them eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created through the CARES Act. Sen. Smith says that the Treasury Department and Small Business Administration (SBA) also heeded her call to make Tribal gaming businesses eligible for the PPP. In addition, Treasury and the SBA provided additional guidance on agriculture cooperatives, making clear that they are
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Presses Treasury, Small Business Administration to Support Cooperatives, Rural Hospitals and Businesses in Minnesota, Across Nation By Making Firms Eligible for Paycheck Protection Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/23/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Banking, Indian Affairs, Health and Agriculture Committees—is pressing the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to support workers, small businesses and families by opening eligibility for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to additional businesses. Sen. Smith has heard from constituents and Minnesota businesses denied access to PPP assistance. Sen. Smith is pressing Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza to open the program to those firms that are key employers in Minnesota who have been denied access due to program rules or
U.S. Senators Push for Sens. Smith, Moran’s Bipartisan Legislation to Make Oral Cancer Medications More Affordable
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/24/20]—U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) led a bipartisan group of senators in calling on House and Senate leadership to make sure the next coronavirus relief package includes their Cancer Drug Parity Act, which would make sure oral cancer drugs are covered in the same way as traditional intravenous (IV) chemotherapy. Right now, doctors are advising cancer patients to stay at home as much as possible. Switching to oral medications when medically appropriate would allow for patients to self-administer and stay in their homes, but making the switch to oral medications may not be financially feasible. Sens. Smith and
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