Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads Fight Against Trump Administration’s Cuts to Housing for Formerly Homeless Minnesotans
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) led 41 of her colleagues in calling on the Trump Administration to immediately halt plans to cut housing funding for people who were previously homeless. 3,600 Minnesotans could lose their housing and be forced back into homelessness under the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to the Continuum of Care program. Minnesota received approximately $48 million in funding last year. Most of those funds are used to provide affordable housing with intensive, supportive services to people experiencing homelessness. The Senators requested that the Administration use existing authorities to renew grants and change course to prevent massive disruption to homelessness programs. A similar letter was led by House Republicans. “There are a lot of things we can do to combat homelessness in Minnesota. Taking housing and services away from people who have escaped homelessness is not a solution and kicking people out on the streets before winter is just cruel,” says Senator Smith. “More than 3,600 of our neighbors could lose their housing and services if the Trump Administration’s plans go through. It will pull the rug out from underneath every one of these Minnesotans when they have found some stability to try to get sober, take care of themselves, find work and turn their lives around. The Administration needs to reverse course immediately.” “In 2024, the federal government awarded funding that preserves housing and services for more than 3,661 Minnesotans. Losing those dollars would jeopardize proven solutions and put our neighbors at risk,” says Anne Mavity, Executive
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Tonight’s Vote on the Federal Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON – Tonight, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement after voting against a continuing resolution to fund the federal government: “I will not support this bill that completely fails to help Americans afford their health care. Trump and Republicans more than doubled Americans’ health care premiums, and for 40 days they have refused to lift a finger to do a thing about it. In fact, they’ve made it worse by taking food away from kids. Allowing this to pass is a mistake.”
U.S. Senators Smith, Daines Introduce Bill to Combat Drug Trafficking in Tribal Communities
WASHINGTON, DC– U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) today announced the bipartisan Protection for Reservation Occupants Against Trafficking and Evasive Communications Today (PROTECT) Act to combat drug trafficking in tribal communities. The PROTECT Act would expand the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction (STCJ) program to allow tribal nations to prosecute non-Native offenders for drug crimes and gun crimes in furtherance of STCJ covered crimes. The PROTECT Act would also allow tribal courts to execute warrants for electronic material to better combat drug traffickers and other criminals. “For years, Tribal leaders in Minnesota have raised the alarm that drug traffickers are exploiting complex legal jurisdiction on Tribal land, making Native communities some
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce New Medicare-funded Residency Slots for Minnesota, Addressing Physician Workforce Shortage
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Today, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced additional medical residency slots in five Minnesota teaching hospitals. The slots were created in the 2022 budget law supported by both Senators. The law authorized funding 1,000 new residency slots across the country over a five-year period to combat the nation’s physician shortage by training new providers. 69 of Minnesota’s 87 counties are health professional shortage areas, and nearly 30% of Minnesota physicians are within retirement range. 200 additional slots are awarded funding every year, and these five Minnesota hospitals were selected for the most recent
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Helps Introduce Legislation to Clean Up Toxins Within Schools
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Health and Education Committee, introduced the Get Toxic Substances Out of Schools Act to remove toxic substances from school buildings across the country. The legislation, unveiled on World Children’s Day, comes on the heels of a report from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) that found less than half of public schools in the state were tested for radon between 2018 and 2022. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and occurs more frequently in Minnesota due to the state’s geology. The bill was led by Senator
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Supports Proposed Sustainable Aviation Fuel Facility Near Moorhead, MN
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Tina Smith wrote a letter to Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm pushing for the construction of a proposed $5 billion sustainable aviation fuel production facility in Moorhead, Minnesota, by DG Fuels. The new facility would create 650 jobs and contribute more than $205 million per year to the growing economy of the Moorhead area. It would produce nearly 200 million gallons of near-zero carbon aviation fuel annually, and production at the facility would begin in 2030. “The clean energy transition is here, and I want Minnesota to lead it,” said Senator Smith. “The construction of this sustainable aviation fuel facility will not only boost Moorhead’s regional economy and create jobs, but it will establish Minnesota as a global hub
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