Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith, Budd Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Volunteer Drivers
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Tedd Budd (R-NC) introduced the bipartisan Volunteer Driver Tax Appreciation Act to support volunteer drivers. Each year, volunteer drivers provide millions of rides for seniors and other non-drivers through churches, community organizations, and nonprofits, giving them access to health care, meals, and other essential services. This legislation would lower the financial burden that those volunteer drivers face by increasing the charitable mileage tax deduction rate for drivers from $0.14 to $0.655 per mile. “Volunteer drivers are vital to rural communities across our state, helping seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and others access necessities like meals and health care,” said Klobuchar. “By increasing the charitable mileage tax deduction rate, this legislation will help reduce the financial burden on volunteer drivers and ensure they can continue to serve their communities.” “Minnesota’s volunteer drivers are critical to communities across our state, helping provide access to food, medication, and transport to seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities,” said Smith. “This legislation would increase the charitable mileage tax reimbursement rate and lower the financial burden for these volunteers. By more fairly compensating them for their services, we can ensure volunteers are able to continue helping the people who rely on them.” “Volunteer drivers provide critical services to predominantly rural areas of our country. Seniors, veterans, and disabled citizens are able to access food and healthcare through the charitable work of others. Increasing the charitable mileage reimbursement rate will make it easier for volunteer drivers
Senator Tina Smith Introduces Legislation to Ensure Accurate, Thorough Education About Native Peoples
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced significant legislation to improve public education and understanding about Native American peoples and their histories. Accurate, thorough education about Native peoples benefits all students, Native and non-Native alike. Unfortunately, the education most students receive regarding Native histories and cultures is woefully inadequate. For example, nearly half of Americans say that what they were taught in schools about Native Americans was inaccurate and in most K-12 classrooms, students are not taught about Native peoples at all post-1900. Furthermore, teachers rate “history of Native American peoples” and “pre-Columbian American history and culture” as two of the worst subjects in terms of coverage and accuracy. These glaring educational deficiencies allow negative stereotypes and misconceptions to take hold and persist. “It is unacceptable that so many Americans are under- and misinformed about Native peoples and their history,” said Senator Smith. “Teachers and Native groups around the country have been sounding the alarm and pushing for action on this issue for years, and it’s time we listened. This legislation would help develop accurate and thorough curriculum for our schools so that harmful misconceptions and stereotypes do not persist.” Deficiencies in our education system are a top driver of false narratives about Native peoples. Senator Smith’s legislation, the Native Histories and Cultures Education Act, would help states improve primary and secondary education about Native histories and cultures in North America by: This legislation is inspired by the Understand Native Minnesota initiative, led by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Bipartisan Push to Expand U.S. Grain Exports to Canada
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/09/19]— Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined a bipartisan group of Senators pushing Trump Administration trade officials to negotiate fewer restriction on U.S. grain exports to Canada under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA). The Senators pressed for action in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Gregg Doud. Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) joined Sen. Smith on the letter. “The grain article in the agreement is a significant area of interest for North Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana grain producers,” the senators wrote. “The ability for our growers to export wheat of domestic origin to
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Small Business Innovation with Energy Department National Labs
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/27/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) along with Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), James Risch (R-Ind.), and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) introduced bipartisan legislation to allow small businesses to gain access to premier facilities at the Department of Energy (DOE) National Labs to spur innovation and the culture of private-public collaboration. The Small Businesses Partnering with National Labs Act of 2019—which has a House companion bill introduced by Reps. Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.)—will allow small businesses to analyze the innovation potential of new technologies by accessing facilities and expertise at National Labs to
U.S. Senators Smith and Cramer Introduce Bold, Bipartisan Bill to Bring Down Cost of Insulin, Hold Manufacturers Accountable
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/27/19]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) introduced bipartisan legislation to bring down the cost of insulin and to hold insulin manufacturers accountable for excessive increases in the price of the life-sustaining medicine. The bill—announced last week in Minneapolis and introduced today in remembrance of Minnesotan Alec Smith, who tragically passed away two years ago today after rationing his insulin—would provide emergency access to insulin for people in Minnesota, North Dakota, and across the country who can’t afford the skyrocketing price of the drug that they need to stay alive. You can access a summary
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Fight to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/26/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and a number of her colleagues introduced bicameral legislation to protect the rights of nearly 17.3 million public workers to join a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions. The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2019 will guarantee the right of public employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. “Hard-working Americans have a fundamental right to join together to fight for fair wages and better working conditions,” said Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate HELP Committee. “By protecting the rights of public
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