Press Releases

Latest Releases

U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on U.S. Steel Investments in Minnesota Mines

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) issued the following statement in response to the news that U.S. Steel will invest $150 million to build a direct reduced iron (DRI) facility in Minnesota’s Iron Range: “This is huge news for the Range, and a big deal for ensuring the long-term future of iron mining in Minnesota. As the streel industry changes, Rangers innovate.” Today’s announcement follows similar moves by Cleveland Cliffs and will help to make sure that Minnesota iron continues to play a key role in the economy going forward.

U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Field Hearing on Infrastructure in Tribal Nations in Prior Lake

MINNESOTA — U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) chaired a productive field hearing for the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, focusing on how Tribal Nations can utilize funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Senator Smith helped pass this historic investment in our country’s infrastructure last fall. The hearing was hosted by Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake. Click here to access photos from the hearing. A video of the hearing will become available here. “I was so excited to bring this field hearing to Minnesota to take a firsthand look at how the work we do in Washington can have a real impact on the lives of Native people,” said Sen. Smith. “The purpose of today was to uplift the voices of Tribal Leaders in Minnesota, to understand what their needs are, and how our historic investment in their communities through the Infrastructure Law can support them.” Infrastructure throughout Tribal Nations has historically been underfunded. Signed into law on November 15, 2022, the IIJA included record investments to provide affordable high-speed internet, safer roads and bridges, modern wastewater and sanitation systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, and good paying jobs for Tribal communities across the country. The law provides more than $13 billion in support for these communities and allows Tribes to request billions in other funding – making the IIJA the single largest investment in Tribal infrastructure ever. Today’s hearing featured six Tribal leaders from Minnesota as witnesses: “We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase some of our projects

Sens. Smith, Warren Press HHS Secretary Azar on Trump Administration’s Broken Promises to Lower Drug Prices Ahead of Hearing on Tuesday, June 12

WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/11/18]—U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)—both members of the Senate Health Committee—have called on Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to address their concerns about the Trump Administration’s inadequate proposals to reduce drug prices and his broken campaign promises to “negotiate like crazy” for lower drug prices. Last month, the senators also sent letters to the top ten drug company CEOs asking if they had voluntarily reduced prices as President Trump and Secretary Azar have suggested they would in response to the Administration’s drug pricing blueprint. Not one company had done so—and one of the few companies that gave

Sen. Tina Smith Says 2010 Supreme Court Decision to Allow Secretive, Unregulated Money to Influence U.S. Elections is Imperiling U.S. Democracy

WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/13/18]—U.S Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that allowed a torrent of secretive, unregulated money to influence American political campaigns should be reversed because it is giving unknown wealthy donors outsized influence in elections and imperiling the nation’s democracy. In a Senate floor speech Tuesday, Smith pressed for enactment of a constitutional amendment to reverse the Court’s Citizens United decision and outlined several other campaign finance reforms to restore fairness to the political process. You can download a video of Sen. Smith’s speech by clicking here. “The sharp rise of secretive, unregulated money in politics means that we

Sen. Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Allow Tribal Governments to Determine How Programs to Combat Hunger Best Serve Indian Country

WASHINGTON D.C. [06/12/18]—Ahead of this week’s first Senate consideration of the Farm Bill, Senator Tina Smith—a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee—introduced legislation to allow tribes in Minnesota and across the country to have more control over how federal hunger programs are administered in their communities. Sen. Smith said her measure would give tribal governments a more active role in the administration of the USDA’s vital Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (commonly known as SNAP). Her bill would help make sure SNAP is administered in a culturally-appropriate way that promotes the health and economic well-being of tribal communities. Federal programs to combat

Sen. Tina Smith Helps Push Bipartisan Farm Bill Through Senate Agriculture Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/13/18]—U.S Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said the bipartisan Farm Bill she helped push through the Senate Agriculture Committee today is important not only for Minnesota farmers, ranchers and communities across the state – who will greatly benefit from the measure – but also for the state’s economy as a whole. The Committee’s action gets the Farm Bill over a major hurdle on its way to being signed into law. The legislation includes several measures authored and championed by Sen. Smith—including her legislative roadmap for the energy title of the Farm Bill,and her provision to expand access to much-needed broadband

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