Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bipartisan Bill to Extend Terrorism Risk Insurance, Support Housing Construction Passes the Senate Unanimously
Roughly 60 percent of American businesses have terrorism risk insurance, which is critical to major construction projects WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s bipartisan legislation to safeguard the availability of terrorism risk insurance coverage passed the full Senate by a unanimous vote. Roughly 60 percent of American businesses have terrorism risk insurance, which could become unavailable without further action by Congress. Sen. Smith (D-MN) led the bipartisan 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 started 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
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Reintroduces Bill to Help College Students Facing Emergencies Afford to Stay in School
Legislation would provide emergency funds as students face record high college costs WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) has reintroduced legislation to help college students afford to stay in school when faced with unexpected financial emergencies. The Emergency Grant Aid for College Students Act comes as students face record high college costs, while the Trump Administration works to dismantle the Department of Education and limit federal borrowing amounts for undergraduate and professional students. “Paying for college is a precarious balancing act for many students, and that’s when everything is going ‘right,’” said Sen. Smith. “This bill would help provide financial stability for students facing a death in the family, steep medical bills, or any number of unexpected emergencies that too often force them to drop out of school and give up on their dreams, ultimately hurting our economy.” For students already balancing tuition, housing, groceries and transportation alongside work and classes, a car repair, medical bill or death in the family can put their education at risk. The Emergency Grant Aid for College Students Act would help colleges and universities provide emergency grants to help students manage these unexpected expenses and continue their education without taking on additional debt. Unlike student loans, the grants would not need to be repaid. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Joe Morelle (D-NY 25). “Every student deserves the opportunity to pursue higher education and achieve their personal and professional goals,” said Congressman Morelle. “Unfortunately, unexpected financial emergencies
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Minnesota State Government’s Executive Actions to Prevent Copper-Nickel Mining in the Watershed of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement after the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency announced it will take aggressive executive action to stop a copper-sulfide mine within the watershed of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA): “Minnesotans strongly support protecting the Boundary Waters. We are a mining state, but not this mine in this place. The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress ignored the science and overturned protections for the Boundary Waters, but the fight continues here at home,” said Senator Smith. “I strongly support Minnesota using all our regulatory powers
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Lyme Disease and Other Tick-Borne Illnesses Passes the Senate Unanimously
Most recent data shows Minnesota saw 3,551 cases in 2024 alone WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith announced the bipartisan Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act passed the Senate unanimously. The bill will expand research, testing and treatment for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. “Minnesota is proud to have more than 10,000 lakes and thousands of rivers for us to enjoy, and we’re always especially eager to get outside after a long winter,” said Sen. Smith. “Unfortunately, the number of Lyme disease cases in the state—and states across the country—is on the rise. This bill would step up regional efforts at researching, testing and treating Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. We must cut down on tick-borne illnesses and for the sake of Americans’ health and well-being,
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on Voting Against the Confirmation of Attorney General Todd Blanche
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement after voting against the confirmation of the President’s nominee to be the next Attorney General, Todd Blanche: “Todd Blanche has clearly demonstrated that he lacks the integrity to be Attorney General. He demonstrated it when he defended the President’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election, when he defended the President’s hush money payments, and he demonstrated it when he committed to enacting a national ban on distributing medication abortion,” said Senator Smith. “It’s disappointing, though not surprising, to see Republicans cave to the President once again and confirm a nominee who
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Votes to Impose Harsh Sanctions on Russia for Invasion of Ukraine
WASHIGTON – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement after voting to impose harsh sanctions on Russia for its illegal invasion of Ukraine, which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support (86-11): “The United States must stand up for democracy and against Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions we passed today are a powerful tool to cut off the funding for Russia’s war machine, even though the President should have imposed them himself much earlier. Combined with Ukraine’s recent successes on the battlefield, these new sanctions will help us force Putin to bring an end to this terrible war,” said Senator Smith. The bill now heads to
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