Latest Releases
Klobuchar, Smith, Emmer, Craig Announce Provision to Maintain C-130 Aircraft Fleet Passes Congress as Part of Bipartisan Defense Bill
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN), along with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (D-MN) and Representative Angie Craig (D-MN), announced that a provision to maintain a fleet of 271 C-130 aircraft across the Air Force fleet passed the Senate and House as part of the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. “C-130 aircraft are the backbone of Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing and support the Air Force’s readiness to carry out essential missions,” said Klobuchar. “We need to maintain the full fleet for our servicemembers who demonstrate a steadfast commitment to our nation’s values every single day. That’s why it’s so important that the bipartisan defense bill included our provision to ensure there are at least 271 C-130 aircraft in the Air Force fleet.” “Our C-130s are vital to Minnesota’s 133rd Airlift Wing and the Air Force’s capability to carry out their missions,” said Smith. “I am glad to see them included in our defense policy bill. Ensuring the Department of Defense maintains enough of these aircraft means stability for the men and women of Minnesota’s National Guard as they carry out their duties at home and overseas.” “With the passage of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, we support the mission of the 133rd Airlift Wing and Minnesota National Guard. We have worked with our congressional delegation and the Minnesota National Guard for years to secure the future of the C-130 and are
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Press for Stop to Surge in Mexican Steel Imports, Seek to Protect American Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined a bipartisan group of colleagues, led by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Tom Cotton (R-AR), in seeking action to stop an unsustainable increase in Mexican steel imports. In a letter to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, the Senators asked the Biden Administration to set a clear deadline for Mexico to enforce its 2019 agreement with the U.S. regulating steel imports and exports, and urged the Administration to take substantive action to counter the increase in Mexican steel imports if the country refuses to comply. The letter was also signed by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Boozman (R-AR), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Ted Budd (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Katie Britt (R-AL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Bob Casey (D-PA). Earlier this year, the Senators voiced their concerns over the surge in Mexican steel imports and urged the Administration to act. Today, the Mexican government still refuses to comply with the 2019 agreement, and it is costing American steel jobs. “We write to you regarding the surge of Mexican steel imports into the U.S. market in violation of the 2019 Joint Agreement on Steel and Aluminum. This breach, and the resulting surge, threatens our manufacturing base and American national security, and demands immediate action from the administration,” wrote the Senators. The Senators continued, “The administration must do more to protect America’s steel industry and prevent the further loss of good-paying American jobs. Failure to conclude an export monitoring agreement due to the unwillingness or inability of the Mexican government is unacceptable. We urge the administration
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, 19 Colleagues Fight to Protect Children When Parents are Detained By Immigration Authorities
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/25/19]—This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced legislation to protect the safety and well-being of children who might be left alone and vulnerable after their parents are arrested or detained by U.S. immigration authorities in communities across the country. Sen. Smith is pushing the legislation because, in the past, children have been abandoned at home or at school after their parents’ detention, often without information about their parents’ location and without adequate arrangements for their care. She pointed to a 2006 incident in Minnesota where, after Immigrations and Customs Enforcement carried out an enforcement action against a family in Worthington, one child—a second grader—came home from school to find
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Ensure 22,000 Retired Minnesota Workers Don’t Lose Their Pensions
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/24/19]—With more than a million Americans facing massive cuts to their hard-earned pensions—including more than 22,000 Minnesotans—U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) continued her push to head off looming pension cuts and shore up the nation’s troubled pension systems. On Wednesday, Sen. Smith and several of her Senate colleagues reintroduced the Butch Lewis Act to help the chronically-underfunded Central States Pension Fund, which covers over 22,000 Minnesotans. The measure would also strengthen many more underfunded multi-employer pension plans across the country. Since coming to the Senate, Sen. Smith has met with many Minnesotans who spent their working years paying into
U.S. Senators Klobuchar, Smith Push to Ensure Married Couples in Minnesota, Across Country Can Avoid Depleting Savings When Caring for Spouse
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/22/19]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) want to permanently ensure that married couples in Minnesota and across the country are able to access home and community-based Medicaid services without having to completely deplete their savings. As the nation’s primary source of coverage for long-term services and supports, Medicaid funds more than 50 percent of long-term care provided nationwide. While many Americans receive this care in institutional settings like nursing homes, in 2014 more than 3 million Americans received this care at home. Three decades ago, Congress established protections—known as spousal impoverishment rules—in cases where a spouse
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig Press Top Administration Officials to Quickly Implement New Effort to Improve Health Care in Rural America
WASHINGTON D.C. [07/19/19]— Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D-Minn.) are pushing for the Trump administration to quickly implement a new effort they both support to focus federal health efforts on the unique needs of rural America. Sen. Smith and Rep. Craig, both members of their respective Agriculture Committees, said the 2018 Farm Bill established a “Rural Health Liaison” position within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) charged with coordinating federal health efforts in rural communities across the country. In a letter this week, the two lawmakers pushed both U.S Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, and
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