Latest Releases
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
Ahead of Likely Shutdown, Sen. Smith, Rep. Pressley Introduce Bill to Provide Back Pay for Federal Contract Workers
WASHINGTON — Ahead of a possible Republican government shutdown, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)introduced legislation to secure back pay for the thousands of federal contract workers who face layoffs without back pay during a potential shutdown. Unlike federal government employees, the thousands of federal contract employees—many of whom serve in modestly paid jobs like custodians and cafeteria workers—have no assurances that they will receive back pay to make up for the wages they miss during a shutdown. The bill is cosponsored by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). The Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act seeks to ensure federal contract workers, including low-wage food service, janitorial and security service workers, are fairly compensated for the wages and benefits lost due to a lapse in appropriations. “This is about fairness—contractor workers and their families should not be penalized for a government shutdown that they did nothing to cause,” said Sen. Smith. “Contractor employees perform jobs that are critical to the operation of our government, providing food service, security, and doing custodial work. These are often low-wage jobs that mean workers are living paycheck to paycheck. In the past, these workers haven’t received back pay at the end of a government shutdown like the thousands of government employees. And it’s time we right that wrong.” “As a former hotel worker and unpaid Congressional intern who worked three jobs, I know all too well what it means to
Sen. Tina Smith Helps Introduce Bill to Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Students
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/21/2018]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.)—a member of the Senate Health Committee—helped introduce legislation in order to better address the increasing number of students with mental health concerns at colleges and universities across the country. The bill—known as the Higher Education Mental Health Commission Act—would create a national commission to study the mental health concerns that students face. This commission would includerepresentatives from higher education institutions, disability and student advocacy groups, students with mental health conditions, and family members of college students. “Facilitating open, honest conversations about mental health is an important first step toward eliminating the stigma that
Sen. Tina Smith Calls for Senate Health Committee Hearing on Negative Consequences of Family Separation on Children
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/21/2018]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) called on leaders of the Senate Health Committee—on which she serves—to hold a hearing in order to better understand the negative health effects of the Trump Administration’s disgraceful zero tolerance immigration policy on separated children and their families. “Although the administration has said that they will stop separating families, we must hold them to this promise and ensure that the more than 2,300 children who have already been separated are safely reunited with their families and receive the care they need as soon as possible,” wrote Sen. Smith in her letter to Chairman
Sens. Smith, Warren Press Secretary Azar for More Answers on Inadequate Plan to Reduce Drug Prices
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/26/2018]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alexander Azar for more answers following their exchanges with him during a recent Senate Health Committee hearing. You can read a copy of the full list of questions Sens. Smith and Warren sent to Mr. Azar today here. Sens. Smith and Warren urge Secretary Azar to provide details about what President Trump meant when he said drug companies would voluntarily reduce prices, the number of meetings that administration officials have had with drug manufacturers to discuss voluntary reductions, and how the administration will
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Remains Skeptical of EPA’s Proposed Targets for Ethanol, Other Renewable Fuels to be Blended into Nation’s Fuel Supply in 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/26/18]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) said she is skeptical of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement of the amount of corn-based ethanol and other renewable fuels the agency says will be blended into the nation’s gasoline supply in 2019. Sen. Smith, who has pressed for expanded use of renewables, said the EPA-announced target of 19.88 billion gallons—required under the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS)—does not specify how refiners will make up for the gallons lost from controversial EPA-granted waivers. Earlier this year, the agency granted a “financial hardship” waiver to an oil refinery owned by billionaire Carl Icahn,
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