Latest Releases
U.S. SENATOR TINA SMITH REINTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO REPEAL THE COMSTOCK ACT
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) reintroduced her landmark legislation to repeal an arcane 1873 law, the Comstock Act, that anti-choice extremists have repeatedly invoked as a backdoor means to effectively ban abortion nationwide without a single act of Congress. The Comstock Act is a centerpiece of Project 2025, the blueprint that Donald Trump and his Administration are following, and if misused, this ancient law would effectively end access to medication abortion nationwide without a single act of Congress. Donald Trump has installed an anti-abortion extremist as head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who declined to acknowledge the settled science proving mifepristone’s safety and efficacy, signaling that access to medication abortion will continue to face threats under this Administration. “We just witnessed a barrage of Trump nominees who evaded giving a straight answer on abortion pill access every time they were pressed during hearings. We’re seeing states pursuing criminal charges against doctors who prescribe medication abortion to women suffering under total abortion bans. We know that this fight is not over, that they are methodically moving through the plans laid out in Project 2025, and we need to be ready with every tool available when the Trump Administration inevitably turns its focus to the Comstock Act and tries to misuse a law passed 50 years before women had the right to vote to ban abortion nationwide. With Donald Trump in the White House, the threat to women’s reproductive health and freedom is more urgent
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Press the Administration on Potential Closure of Paul Wellstone Federal Building in Minneapolis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) wrote a letter demanding answers about reported plans to close and sell the Paul Wellstone Federal Building in Minneapolis. This building provides key federal services, including housing assistance, worker protections, and passport processing. In a letter to General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Stephen Ehikian, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, National Labor Relations Board Chairman Marvin E. Kaplan, and Bureau of Consular Affairs Senior Official John Armstrong, the Senators warned that shutting it down would put these essential services at risk. “Abrupt closure of the Wellstone Building would put housing and worker protection services into immediate peril. Minnesotans rely on Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs to afford rent, access housing or prepare to become homeowners. These federal employees help deliver vital rental assistance, homelessness services, respond to housing discrimination, provide housing counseling and assist cities with community development,” wrote the Senators. The federal building was renamed after Paul Wellstone in 2022 through bipartisan legislation led by Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith, and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to honor the late Senator Paul Wellstone’s legacy of public service. Last year, both Senators celebrated the renaming of the building at a ceremony honoring Paul Wellstone and his lifelong dedication to Minnesotans. In the letter, they also raised concerns that GSA has not followed its own requirements for public engagement and proper planning before offloading federal property. They demanded transparency on whether the federal government intends to close the
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Funding for Revitalizing I-35 Corridor in West Duluth and Downtown Duluth
[Washington, DC] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced federal funding to develop a comprehensive plan for economic development and community support for Duluth neighborhoods harmed by the construction of I-35 in the 1960s and 70s. The construction of the interstate and the barrier that created in downtown Duluth led to the demolition of hundreds of homes and displacement of over 1,700 people. The funding was awarded thanks to President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, which both Senators supported. “Duluth’s I-35 highway needs critical right-of-way improvements to ensure drivers and pedestrians stay safe,” said Klobuchar. “This federal grant will help
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Funding for Revitalizing Olson Memorial Highway
[Washington, DC] – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced federal funding to restore and revitalize the 6thAvenue North corridor, an area in North Minneapolis that was devastated by the construction of Olson Memorial Highway in the 1940s. The project will include converting the roadway to reconnect the area’s residents and promote new housing and commercial development and modeling the project’s impacts on environmental justice and racial equity. The funding was awarded to Open Streets Minneapolis thanks to President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, which both Senators supported. “The 6th Avenue North corridor in Minneapolis is in need of
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Laphonza Butler Introduce Legislation to Combat LGBTQ+ Mental Health Crisis
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D – Minn.) and Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) — the first Black and openly LGBTQ+ senator to serve in the Senate — led five Senate colleagues in introducing the Pride in Mental Health Act which would strengthen mental health and crisis intervention resources for at-risk LGBTQ+ youth. “Mental health care is health care. And for some LGBTQ+ youth, receiving access to the mental health care they need can mean the difference between living in safety and dignity, and suffering alone through discrimination, bullying, and even violence,” said Senator Smith. “The data shows what many parents and educators
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Colleagues Urge the Department of Justice to Improve Public Safety on Tribal Lands
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues in sending a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland inquiring about the high rates of criminal cases on Tribal land that U.S. Attorneys’ Offices decline to prosecute. The letter was led by Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and was signed by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM). The Senators ask a series of questions to better understand the reasons behind the high rates of declinations. Specifically, the letter asks about the lack of evidence in these cases and the Department’s “prioritization of
English