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. Senator Tina Smith Announces Trade Aid for Minnesota Producers Hit Hard by Trade War with China
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/05/2020]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee—announced that this week a third round of Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments will be made to farmers in Minnesota and across the country crippled by the Administration’s trade war with China. Sen. Smith said that these payments made by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will support eligible producers participating in the MFP. “These payments will help address the economic damage the trade war with China has inflicted on Minnesota farmers and rural communities,” said Sen. Smith. “The trade war has not only left our producers without a significant market for their farm products, but also depressed farm prices and left
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on President Trump’s State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/04/20]—This evening, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement in response to President Trump’s State of the Union Address: “I thank Duluth Mayor Emily Larson for being my guest at the State of the Union Address. Mayor Larson has been a strong leader on housing and health care, and we have worked together to increase access to affordable housing and make health care, and especially prescription drugs, more affordable. “The number one issue I hear about from Minnesotans is the high cost of health care, and skyrocketing prescription drug prices. Tonight President Trump talked about bringing
In Senate Floor Speech, U.S. Senator Tina Smith Outlines to Minnesotans Why She’ll Vote to Remove President Trump From Office
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/04/20]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) took to the Senate floor to let Minnesotans—and all Americans—know why she’ll vote to remove President Trump from office. In her speech, Sen. Smith shared her position on this historic vote, and looked ahead to continuing the work of reinforcing the American values of fairness and justice. Sen. Smith’s remarks follow her penning an op-ed in the Star Tribune sharing how she arrived at her decision after serving as an impartial juror during the impeachment trial. “While evidence of the President’s wrongdoing is substantial, I advocated every way I could for a trial that would be fair
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Urges Immediate Action to Control Spread of Coronavirus
WASHINGTON, D.C. [02/03/20]—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is calling on the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Health Subcommittee to quickly provide emergency funding to the depleted Public Health Emergency Fund (PHEF) so that state and local health departments aren’t overwhelmed by the emerging coronavirus outbreak. Sen. Smith—a member of the Senate Health Committee—says that PHEF, a critical source of funding for public health emergencies, was depleted in 2012. “Though our federal public health response has been adequately surveilling, screening, and testing for the virus, now is the time to ensure that our states and localities are equally prepared to respond,” wrote Sen. Smith. “As this emergency response evolves, states and localities may foot the bill for medical screening, countermeasures, deployment of
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