Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bipartisan Legislation to Extend Terrorism Risk Insurance, Support Housing Construction Passes Banking Committee
Roughly 60 percent of American businesses have terrorism risk insurance, which is critical to major construction projects WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s bipartisan legislation to safeguard the availability of terrorism risk insurance coverage passed the Senate Banking Committee by a unanimous vote. Roughly 60 percent of American businesses have terrorism risk insurance, which could become unavailable without action by Congress. Sen. Smith (D-MN) leads the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2026 alongside Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Thom Tillis (R-NC). Following the attacks on September 11, 2001, many insurance companies began excluding terrorism risks from commercial insurance policies, leaving businesses and industries without access to coverage. Since insurance is a precondition for commercial lending and real estate transactions, this gap in coverage threatened broad economic damage across real estate, construction, energy, transportation, and related industries. Congress responded by passing the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 (TRIA), creating a federal reinsurance backstop to stabilize the private market and ensure that commercial policyholders could continue to obtain terrorism risk coverage. The private insurance market has relied on the TRIA backstop ever since. When TRIA briefly lapsed in December 2014, terrorism exclusions that insurers had pre-filed with state regulators took effect automatically, making terrorism coverage effectively unavailable across commercial policies nationwide. As a result, terrorism risk coverage was removed from policyholders immediately and without notice. Given that the current threat landscape remains elevated, allowing a similar lapse in terrorism coverage would expose policy holders to unnecessary financial risk and uncertainty. “Without
U.S. Senators Smith, Baldwin & Murphy Reintroduce Bill to Support Young Farmers, Forgive Student Loan Debt
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) reintroduced the Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act, legislation to create a loan forgiveness program for beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as veteran, women and minority farmers. Beginning farmers are considered those who have less than 10 years of experience operating a farm. The ag industry will soon see major shifts in farm ownership with more than one-third of American farmers being 65 years old or older. Student loan debt is among the largest obstacles America’s young farmers face, placing an enormous financial strain on beginner farmers and discouraging others from pursuing careers in the agricultural industry. Unforgiven student debt has a disproportionate impact on the farming industry. The Student Loan Forgiveness for Farmers and Ranchers Act would grant these farmers the support they need to invest in their farms and ranches and incentivize a new generation of farmers to enter the agricultural industry. “To keep Minnesota’s agriculture economy thriving, we need to continue to invest in the next generation of farmers as the average age of farmers keeps going up. There is more we can be doing to help future farmers fill their shoes,” said Sen. Smith. “Student debt is one of the most significant challenges our young farmers and ranchers face. This legislation would help encourage a younger, more diverse workforce and help more people start and stay in farming.” “Wisconsin farmers work hard to feed our families, support our rural economies, and
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bill to Combat Lyme Disease & Other Tick-Borne Diseases Heads to President’s Desk
Most recent data shows Minnesota recorded 3,551 cases in 2024 alone, a rate that has likely increased in recent years WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s (D-MN) bipartisan bill to expand research, testing and treatment for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases is expected to become law after successfully passing both chambers of Congress. The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act passed the U.S. Senate in August and passed the U.S. House of Representatives this week, heading to the President’s desk to be signed into law. “When this bill soon becomes law, it will save lives and help people battling Lyme
Sen. Tina Smith’s Statement on Agriculture Committee’s Second Partisan Markup of Long-Delayed Farm Bill
The partisan legislation forces Minnesotans to pay $140 million in administrative costs, fails to address SNAP cuts WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement after the Senate Agriculture Committee failed to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill, instead choosing to pass a partisan version drafted by Republicans that will not gain enough support to pass the full Senate: “I said it before and I’ll say it again, patience is a virtue, it’s just not my virtue. I’m disappointed that, once again, Republicans have pursued a partisan path on the Senate Farm Bill; however, we’ll keep working
Smith, Klobuchar Celebrate Groundbreaking of Blatnik Bridge Replacement
Sens. Smith & Klobuchar secured federal funding to reconstruct the bridge connecting Duluth and Superior, WI DULUTH, MN — U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) celebrated the groundbreaking of the Blatnik Bridge replacement project, after they secured federal funding for the bridge from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and successfully pressed the administration to release the funding so construction on the project could begin. The Blatnik Bridge powers the regional economy with 33,000 vehicles crossing every day and $3.7 billion in goods transferred annually across the bridge between the Twin Ports. The reconstructed bridge is expected to be
Smith, Klobuchar, Finstad Urge Trump Administration to Approve Minnesota’s Request for Disaster Declaration
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) and U.S. Representative Brad Finstad (R-MN) urged the Trump Administration to approve Minnesota’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration to help communities in southeastern Minnesota that are working to recover from severe weather and flooding. If this disaster declaration is approved, the federal government will be able to provide disaster assistance for various recovery efforts. “We write to you in strong support of the state of Minnesota’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance under the Stafford Act to assist our constituents recovering from severe storms
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