Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Reintroduces Legislation to Protect Access to Reproductive Health Care Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. [6.23.23] – This week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced legislation to protect access to critical reproductive health care services—like birth control, cancer screenings, and more—by providing a consistent and strong source of funding for the Title X Family Planning Program. The Title X Family Planning Program is the only federal program dedicated to providing comprehensive family planning and preventive health services. Hundreds of thousands of Americans rely on the program for essential health care. In 2020 alone, over 1.5 million patients received family planning services through Title X. Title X is funded through the annual appropriations process, which subjects the program to an unpredictable funding stream that is insufficient to meet the national need. The Expanding Access to Family Planning Act would provide a consistent and strong source of funding for Title X. The bill is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D- VT) ,and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (KS-03). “At a time when Americans’ reproductive freedoms are under attack from extremist Republicans, the Title X Family Planning Program is more important than ever,” said Senator Smith. “Title X funding provides American women with access
Senators Tina Smith, Joni Ernst Push USDA to Allow More Milk Options in Schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. [6.16.23] – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack urging the Department to continue allowing non-fat and low-fat flavored milk in schools. The letter is in response to a proposed rule from the USDA that could limit flavored milk options in schools. However, school nutritionists have reported that dairy in the school meals is often the only or one of the only ways that many children consume nutrients like calcium and protein. “Each day during the academic year, over 15.5 million kids receive breakfast and another 29.9 million take lunch at school,” wrote the Senators. “A decision to remove flavored milk from both of these meals for grades K-8 could have devastating effects on student’s consumption of essential nutrients and their ability to learn in the classroom. Studies show that when low-fat or fat-free flavored milk was removed from the cooler, milk consumption went down. Likewise, when these options were again provided, milk consumption rebounded. By offering children additional milk options, schools can encourage more dairy intake and work towards closing nutrition gaps.” “Flavored milks provide children with the same 13 essential nutrients as unflavored milk, including three of the four nutrients identified as dietary components of public health concern in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)—calcium, vitamin D and potassium,” said Dr. Michael Dykes, President and CEO, International Dairy Foods Association. “Americans know, and the data show, that when low-fat flavored
Sen. Tina Smith’s New Bill Expands Workforce Training Partnerships between Minnesota Schools & Businesses
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/09/18]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith continued her push to help Minnesotans secure careers in high-demand fields with new legislation to fuel workforce training partnerships between schools and local businesses. Often, good-paying jobs in areas like advanced manufacturing, construction, IT, and health care don’t require an expensive four-year degree. But students either aren’t aware of or don’t have access to local programs that provide the training for those jobs. The 21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act gets at the heart of that issue. Sen. Smith’s bill addresses a major need in our modern economy: education and hands-on training for the high-skill jobs of
Klobuchar, Smith Urge Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to Restore Full Federal Funding for MinnesotaCare
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith strongly urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to restore the full amount of federal funding that has been cut from MinnesotaCare over the past year. Minnesota, New York, and HHS have recently reached an agreement about a lawsuit regarding cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments. Under the agreement, HHS will develop a new system for providing federal funding for Basic Health Programs (BHP) like MinnesotaCare. In the letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma, the senators called for full funding for
Klobuchar, Smith Urge Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to Restore Full Federal Funding for MinnesotaCare
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith strongly urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to restore the full amount of federal funding that has been cut from MinnesotaCare over the past year. Minnesota, New York, and HHS have recently reached an agreement about a lawsuit regarding cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments. Under the agreement, HHS will develop a new system for providing federal funding for Basic Health Programs (BHP) like MinnesotaCare. In the letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma, the senators called for full funding for
Sens. Tina Smith, Thom Tillis Lead Bipartisan Introduction of Bill to Support Health Care for “Atomic Veterans”
WASHINGTON, D.C. [05/11/18]—U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) have introduced a bipartisan measure to support health care benefits for “Atomic Veterans” who were exposed to harmful radiation when they cleaned up nuclear testing sites during the late 1970s. The Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act would allow veterans who participated in the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll on the Marshall Islands to receive the same healthcare and benefits given to other servicemembers who were involved in active nuclear tests. From 1946 to 1958 the U.S. military conducted more than 40 nuclear tests in the Islands, but the
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