Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith and Colleagues Call on Israeli Ambassador Herzog to Accelerate Aid Delivery and Ensure Safety for Aid Workers
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) in sending a letter to Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, on the imperative of urgently providing humanitarian aid in Gaza. The letter highlights specific steps that Ambassador Herzog and the Israeli government should take to ensure that aid reaches Gaza and to protect aid workers. “Since October 7, nearly 30,000 people have been killed in Israel’s counterattack on Gaza. While many were Hamas terrorists, a significant number were innocent civilians. Further, at least 1.7 million Palestinians have been internally displaced in Gaza. They have need for clean water, food, medical support, and humanitarian aid. Starvation and widespread disease in Gaza are imminent,” wrote the four U.S. Senators. “We believe that the future path to peace, security and stability will be enhanced dramatically by facilitating the delivery of essentials for survival to the Palestinian people whose fate is imperiled,” the Senators conclude. The letter outlines four actions Israel should take to accelerate aid delivery into Gaza and assist the safety of aid workers, including: Text of the letter follows: Dear Ambassador Herzog: We unequivocally condemn Hamas’ barbaric attack on Israel October 7, 2023, and hope that all the hostages return home safely. We support Israel’s right and obligation to pursue the Hamas terrorists who planned and carried out the October 7 attack and deem the prospect of Hamas retaining military control of Gaza unacceptable. We also believe, there is an urgent need to provide
Sen. Smith joins Dem Women’s Caucus, House and Senate Democrats, in Demanding Health Insurers Fully Cover Birth Control, As Required by the ACA
Washington, DC — Today, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), along with Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Chair Lois Frankel (FL-22), Reps. Ayanna Pressley (MA-7), Kathy Manning (NC-6), and Judy Chu (CA-28), led over 150 House and Senate Democratic colleagues in urging health insurers to fully comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) contraception coverage requirement. Specifically, the members urged insurers to adopt a “therapeutic equivalence standard” ensuring coverage—without cost sharing—of every FDA-approved birth control product that does not have a therapeutic equivalent (generic). The letter comes after years of systemic noncompliance by insurance plans, forcing women to pay out of pocket or face administrative red tape to access the birth control that works best for them. “We write to express our concerns that your members are not complying with the Affordable Care Act contraception coverage requirement, and to urge them to consider immediate adoption of the therapeutic equivalence standard outlined by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury on January 22, 2024,” wrote the lawmakers in a letter toAmerica’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)—whose membership includes major health insurers across the country—and UnitedHealth Group. Despite the ACA’s protections, the members outlined how multiple investigations—including by the House Oversight Committee, “have revealed that plans routinely violate the ACA by refusing to cover certain products, imposing administrative hurdles like prior authorizations and step therapy (fail first protocols), and requiring patient cost-sharing.” In response to these violations, the Biden Administration recently released additional guidance, outlining a standard that requires coverage
Klobuchar, Smith Join Warner & Colleagues Calling for Coronavirus Economic Response Focused on Helping Workers and Families
WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joined Mark Warner (D-VA) and over 30 colleagues in a letter to President Trump calling for an economic stimulus package focused on helping working Americans and their families who will be most harmed by the outbreak and spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) across the United States. “The spread of COVID-19 will create economic ramifications that will affect individuals, families, and regions differently. While following social distancing guidelines may be important to mitigate the spread of the virus, it creates potentially grave economic challenges for American workers who are
U.S. Senators Smith, Inhofe Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Cattle Producers
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/11/20]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) introduced their bipartisan Securing All Livestock Equitably (SALE) Act, which would address dealer payment default. The quick turnaround between the purchase and resale of cattle by dealers often leaves the ranchers who originally owned the cattle with little recourse if a dealer defaults on a purchase—the livestock has often already been resold. The SALE Act would establish dealer statutory trusts, which are similar to existing packer statutory trusts, to ensure that cattle sellers receive payment should a livestock dealer become insolvent. “Minnesota cattle producers, farm organizations, and family-owned businesses have shared with me how important
Sen. Smith Leads Fight to End Federal Contracts with Companiesthat Mistreat Employees & Violate Worker Protection Laws that Mistreat Employees & Violate Worker Protection Laws
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/11/20]–Today U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced legislation to prevent companies that mistreat their employees and repeatedly break workplace protection laws from receiving taxpayer-funded federal contracts. Sen. Smith says the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Act would also expand workplace protections for people employed by large federal contractors. Her legislation is largely similar to a President Obama Executive Order that was repealed in 2017. “I approach this issue with the core belief that all companies should follow the law and treat their workers fairly,” said Sen. Smith. “If companies break the law, then they should not receive taxpayer-funded government contracts. But right
Senators Klobuchar, Smith Urge Vice President to Actively Work with Native Communities, Tribal Leaders on Coronavirus Response
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) are urging Vice President Mike Pence to actively work with Native communities and Tribal leaders as part of the federal government’s response to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In a bipartisan effort led by vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Tom Udall (D-N.M.), 27 senators sent a letter to Vice President Pence following Congress passing an emergency funding bill that includes $40 million for Tribes, Tribal organizations and Urban Indian Health Organizations impacted by COVID-19. The United States has confirmed COVID-19 cases in a number of states where Tribes and urban Indian communities are located. Given these developments and past issues accessing federal resources for the Zika, Ebola, H1N1, and SARS outbreaks, Tribes and Urban Indian Organizations have voiced concerns that federal COVID-19 response efforts
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