Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Strengthen Teacher Workforce
Washington, DC — This week, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the Addressing Teacher Shortages Act, bicameral legislation to help schools recruit, prepare and retain educators amid the ongoing teacher shortage. The bill is co-led in the House of Representatives by Congresswomen Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Jahana Hayes (D-CT). In Minnesota, 84% of school districts report being affected by teacher shortages, and nearly one in four licensed teachers in Minnesota isn’t working in a classroom. Among those who do, almost one-third of new teachers leave the profession within five years. “Building a stronger education system is one of the smartest investments we can make. I hear from Minnesota schools every year about the shortages they can’t seem to fill, and that it’s only getting worse. Smaller and rural districts particularly struggle to fill spots, but no matter where it is, we can’t seem to hire teachers in key subjects like STEM, technical education and special education,” said Senator Tina Smith. “These shortages hurt our students the most, and that’s why this legislation is so critical. Our kids deserve fully staffed schools.” The Addressing Teacher Shortages Act would establish a competitive federal grant program that school districts can apply to for five years of funding to strengthen teacher recruitment, training and retention. The bill also provides staffing resources at the U.S. Department of Education to help under-resourced communities apply for and access these grants. The bill gives school districts broad latitude to determine how best to spend the grant money to hire and retain qualified teachers in
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Jim Banks Introduce New Bipartisan Youth Suicide Prevention Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Jim Banks (R-IN) introduced the Raising Awareness for Youth Suicide Prevention (RAYS) Act, requiring middle and high schools to include mental health and suicide prevention information on student identification cards and school websites. The hotline and text line has been used nearly 20 million times since it was created in 2022. “We can’t afford to leave holes in the safety net we’ve built to catch people when they’re going through hard times or struggling with their mental health. That’s why we created the 988 hotline in the first place. Now, we need to make sure everyone, especially young people, know that resources are available to them when they need it,” said Senator Smith. “This is a common-sense idea to help those facing mental health challenges. It tells them that they are not alone and help is out there.” “It is unacceptable that suicide is the leading cause of death for Americans under 21. This legislation will expand access to vital resources and help save lives,” said Senator Banks. The RAYS Act would require secondary education institutions to provide contact information for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and a state or local suicide prevention hotline selected by the school, if available, on the back of all student ID cards. If a school cannot meet this requirement because it does not distribute physical student ID cards, cost is a barrier, or some other administrative burden,
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on President Trump’s Political Attack on Minnesota’s Energy Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced it was cancelling energy infrastructure awards only in states that either did not support him in the presidential election or whose Senators are pushing to negotiate a bipartisan deal to re-open the federal government amidst the current shutdown, including Minnesota. “This is beyond stupid. At a time when most Minnesotans are just trying to scrape together enough money to pay their bills and live their lives, these politically motivated attacks on our state are just going to make it that much harder for Minnesotans
Amid Government Shutdown, Sen. Smith, Rep. Pressley Introduce Bill to Provide Back Pay for Federal Contract Workers, Including Low-Wage Food Service and Custodial Staff
WASHINGTON, DC – Following the federal government shutdown, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) introduced legislation to secure back pay for the thousands of federal contract workers who face furloughs and missed paychecks when the federal government is shutdown. Unlike federal employees, the thousands of federal contract workers—including janitorial, food, and security services workers—have no assurances that they will receive back pay to make up for their loss of hours and pay during a shutdown. The bill is co-led by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD). The Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act would
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on the Federal Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) released the following statement after Congressional Republicans and the White House refused to negotiate to lower health care costs for Americans, resulting in a federal government shutdown. “I’ll work with anyone who wants to work with me to bring down health care costs, but I won’t give Donald Trump a blank check and be bullied into voting for their partisan bill that will leave Minnesotans facing a near-doubling of their health insurance costs,” said Senator Smith. “Grocery bills are going up, utility bills are going up, and health care costs are
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues in Introducing Major Bill to Reform, Expand Head Start and Early Learning for Working Families
WASHINGTON, D.C — As the Trump administration continues to attack early education opportunities like Head Start, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues in working to expand early childhood education options and opportunities by introducing the Head Start for America’s Children Act. This bill would expand Head Start to ensure that more than 11 million young children from working class families can access high-quality early education and comprehensive services, while also ensuring Head Start educators earn the wages they deserve. “Access to childcare and early learning programs is essential – both for parents, to be able to go to
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