Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Texas Judge’s Medication Abortion Ruling
WASHINGTON, D.C. [04/07/23] — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) issued the following statement in response to a far-right activist judge blocking approval of a safe and effective abortion medication: “I’m furious. A single ultra-conservative activist judge just attempted to strip away access to safe and effective medication abortions for millions of women nationwide. This ruling is nothing but an extremist, anti-democratic national abortion ban. “This outrageous decision would do irreparable harm to women’s health. It’s a clear attack on our freedoms and it cannot be allowed to stand. “This ruling makes it undeniable: Extremist Republicans won’t be satisfied until they’ve stripped all American women of their most fundamental human rights to bodily autonomy and self-determination.”
Senators Smith, Rounds Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Mental Health Services in Rural America
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) reintroduced legislation to improve access to mental health and substance use services. The Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2023 would establish a grant program for health providers to expand telemental health services in rural areas and for individuals working in the farming, forestry and fishing industries. “When I experienced depression, resources were there for me. But right now, too many people don’t have access to the mental or behavioral health care they need, and that’s especially true in rural communities,” said Smith. “Our bipartisan bill will help health providers in rural areas expand tele-mental health care services for farmers, ranchers and foresters, and many others in local communities who are experiencing stress, burnout and other mental challenges.” “Individuals in rural areas may not have easy access to a mental health facility, making in-person visits difficult for those seeking care,” said Rounds. “Utilizing telemental health capabilities will allow South Dakotans in rural areas to receive quality care from the comfort of their homes. Not only does this save time and resources, it provides an important mental health service for our farmers and ranchers, who for years have suffered economically due to challenging weather, trade disputes and price disparities.” This legislation would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Rural Health Liaison of the Department of Agriculture, to award grants to public and non-profit mental health and substance use providers to expand access to telehealth services
Klobuchar, Smith Call for Continued Efforts to Support Farmers and Ranchers after Devastating February Blizzards
Klobuchar, Smith Call for Continued Efforts to Support Farmers and Ranchers after Devastating February Blizzards WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/15/19] – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to commit to continued public outreach to farmers and ranchers following February’s devastating blizzards. In a letter to Joe Martin, the State Executive Director for the Minnesota FSA, the senators asked that he continue to conduct public outreach throughout the impacted counties to ensure that impacted farmers and ranchers fully understand their options, including for payments under several Farm Bill disaster programs and
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith Announces Support of Bill to Rebuild America’s Schools and Create Nearly 2 Million Jobs
Senator Says Legislation Will Help Make Infrastructure Improvements to Schools in Rural and Urban Areas, Expand Access to Broadband WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/18/19]– U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) believes schools in both rural and urban areas in Minnesota—and across the nation—need strong investments in infrastructure so students can learn in healthy and safe environments, which is why she’s announcing her support for legislation that would provide significant investments to both physical and digital infrastructure in schools across the country. The legislation enjoys widespread support from educators and parent advocacy groups in Minnesota and across the country. The Rebuild America’s Schools Act would create grant and tax bond programs
U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Push Trump Admin to Provide Farmer Guidance on Republican Tax Law
Urge IRS and Treasury Department to Issue Tax Guidance Promised to Farmers Before Tax Filing Deadline WASHINGTON D.C. [03/18/19]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) are pushing the IRS and Department of Treasury to provide farmers long-overdue guidance on the Republican tax law before filing deadlines this year. The GOP tax law passed in 2017 created substantial changes to the federal tax code for certain agricultural cooperatives. Yet despite promises from the Department of Treasury and the IRS that guidance would be issued by the end of 2018, it still has not been delivered. In a letter to IRS commissioner Charles Rettig and
Klobuchar, Smith Announce More Than $3 Million in Grants Throughout Minnesota for Critical Investments in Affordable Housing and Community Development
WASHINGTON D.C. [03/20/19]—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced seven separate NeighborWorks grants totaling $3,104,000 for community organizations throughout Minnesota. The grants will help more Minnesota families realize their dream of owning a home, increase access to affordable rental units, provide needed financial and counseling services to households throughout the state, and support the repair or rehabilitation of existing homes. Last year, NeighborWorks-affiliated community development organizations in Minnesota provided these services to more than 18,300 households. “The availability of affordable housing – housing that a family can fit in their budget – is one of the most important issues
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