Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Co-Leads a Bicameral Push to Renew Expired Funding for Childcare
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bob Casey (D-PA), along with members of the House of Representatives, led a bicameral group of their colleagues in urging congressional leadership to renew expired funding for childcare in any supplemental funding package. Funding from the American Rescue Plan Act expired in September, and the state of childcare continues to be in crisis mode. Without this funding, many childcare providers have either closed or struggle to keep their doors open for working families. The letter comes on the heels of President Biden’s request to Congress for $16 billion to address the childcare crisis, which the members called for in August. “We write today to urge you to include robust funding for child care in any supplemental funding package considered by the Appropriations Committee. Child care is unaffordable and hard to find for working families, and child care providers across the country are struggling to stay afloat,” wrote the lawmakers. “Child care providers in communities across the country are at risk of closure. The child care stabilization relief funds provided a much-needed lifeline to the child care industry, but it is crucial that, at minimum, we sustain that level of investment to ensure the industry’s survival and prevent a new emergency.” Smith, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has been a leader in pressing for expanding access to childcare. She is an original cosponsor of the Child Care Stabilization Act, which aims to
Tina Smith, 13 Senate Colleagues’ Statement on Humanitarian Aid to Civilians in Gaza
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who led a group of Senators including Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), in releasing the following statement: “The tragic war in Gaza, initiated by Hamas terrorist attacks on innocent civilians on October 7, is causing heartbreaking suffering among Israelis, Palestinians and citizens of other nations living in the region. “Israel has the right and obligation to defend itself against Hamas, whose leadership continues to state clearly that their goal is the complete annihilation of Israel. Israel also has the obligation, pursuant to international law, to conduct that defense in such a way as to minimize harm to civilians and allow humanitarian aid to reach those who are suffering. We acknowledge the increased burden that this necessarily places on Israel to accomplish these obligations. “Hamas’s horrific actions cannot be ascribed to all Palestinians. Indeed, Palestinian residents of Gaza have often been victimized by Hamas. “As Senators, we have been closely monitoring the war in Gaza and believe that much more must be done to protect civilian life. We have been in ongoing dialogue with government officials in the United States, Israel and other nations in the region. We have communicated extensively with international aid officials doing work in Gaza, including those working together with the
U.S. Senator Tina Smith: Trump’s New Farm Aid “A Little Band-Aid for a Big, Ugly Problem”
**VIDEO RELEASE** WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/24/2019]—In an interview this week on Bloomberg TV, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) discussed the challenges facing farmers and rural communities, and characterized the Trump Administration’s recently announced aid as “a little Band-Aid for a big, ugly problem.” You can watch the video of her full interview here. “I don’t know a single farm that wouldn’t see that and say, sure, I’m happy to accept a helping hand because I’m really hurting right now,” said Sen. Smith—a member of the Senate Ag Committee. “But what I think most farmers in Minnesota would say is that’s a
Klobuchar and Smith Hail Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Crack Down on Robocalls
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/23/19] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) lauded Senate passage of a bill they championed that will increase penalties against telemarketers who spam Americans with robocalls and promote call authentication and blocking technologies. Robocalls are on the rise, with one source reporting an increase of 50% in robocall volume from February to July of last year. The bipartisan Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act passed in the Senate today would increase penalties for fraudulent telemarketers, while also implementing measures to proactively protect consumers from receiving unwanted robocalls. The bipartisan bill was
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Key Health Care Priorities Included in Larger, Bipartisan Health Care Costs Package
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/23/2019]—A number of measures championed by U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) were included in the bipartisan package to address the rising cost of health care released today by the Senate Health Committee, including Sen. Smith’s efforts to help bring lower-cost insulin and generic drugs to market. Sen. Smith said both her bipartisan Protecting Access to Biosimilars Act and the Ensuring Innovation Act were added to the package, and her work with colleagues to increase price transparency by strengthening health care databases is also included. “The high costs of health care are jeopardizing the financial security of Americans and
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Susan Collins Address Rise in Tick-Borne Diseases and Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Target, Prevent, and Treat Lyme Disease
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/23/19]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), in a bipartisan effort, pushed for improving research and treatment efforts that address the sharp rise in tick-borne diseases. The Ticks: Identify, Control, and Knockout (TICK) Act, improves coordination between government response at the federal and local levels to tick borne diseases. “Minnesotans are eager to get outside after a long winter,” said Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Health Committee. “Unfortunately, the number of Lyme disease cases in the state—and states across the country—is on the rise. Our bipartisan bill aims to reduce the number of
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