Sen. Smith fought for a spot on the Senate Agriculture Committee because ag is the backbone of Minnesota’s economy.
All Minnesotans are impacted by the Farm Bill, and Sen. Smith heard from Minnesotans with backgrounds in farming, rural development, rural health, and nutrition to make sure that all voices were reflected in the final 5-year bill that passed in 2018. That legislation included many provisions that Sen. Smith authored and championed, including improvement to the dairy safety-net program, the legislative roadmap for the energy title, and improvement to USDA conservation programs. It also included many provisions that benefit Minnesota’s native communities and new American communities, like permanent funding for beginning and traditionally under-served farmer outreach programs.
Sen. Smith understands that it’s been a very difficult few years for agriculture, and she believes that the federal government should be giving farmers more support. She’s heard from farmers about the high cost of health care, including access to health care providers and access to mental health care resources, which is why Senator Smith championed the creation of the rural health liaison at the USDA as well as funding for local mental health resources and to expand access to stress reduction and suicide prevention programs.
She also believes it’s important to invest more in Greater Minnesota, and from her leadership post on the Rural Development and Energy Subcommittee, will keep working to expand access to broadband and better infrastructure. Thousands of Minnesotans are employed in the ethanol and biodiesel industry, selling corn and soybeans to biofuel facilities boosts the incomes of farmers around the state. Biofuels are good for energy security, for our environment, and for our economy, which is why Sen. Smith will advocate for a strong Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) program.
Senator Smith believes that a strong public education system, from early childhood to higher education, is one of the most important investments we can make, because education has the power to change lives. A high-quality education empowers and creates opportunity, allowing people to reach their full potential, support their families with good-paying jobs, and become well informed and engaged citizens.
Education provides a strong foundation for our economy and our communities, and it starts with the littlest kids and learners. Senator Smith has worked in response to the childcare shortages in Minnesota, she’s a proud supporter of legislation to provide high-quality affordable childcare to all parents, to support childcare providers, and boost supply in Minnesota.
Sen. Smith believes that every young person has a right to a high-quality K-12 education. She’s introduced legislation to address teacher shortages, particularly in rural areas, hard to staff subject areas, and to help improve teacher workforce diversity. She’s heard again and again from teachers about the challenges their students are facing and so she has championed several measures to support student mental health needs and well-being. When it comes to higher education, Sen. Smith believes that college has become unaffordable for too many. She finds it troubling that the average debt for students graduating from a four-year college in Minnesota is $31,000. She believes we need to rethink this system because it’s not fair to students, and it’s getting so that it is even slowing down our economy.
But Senator Smith also understands that ‘higher education’ doesn’t always mean a 4-year degree. Sen. Smith strongly believes that we need to increase our investments in two-year community and technical colleges, and workforce education overall to ensure that students are well-prepared to meet workforce needs. This type of education will help students obtain the in-demand skills that will help them land good-paying jobs that employers are hiring for now, not in the distant future.
Sen. Smith is also committed to addressing the opportunity gaps that prevent too many students from reaching their full potential. She believes that means ensuring that every student, from LGBTQ youth, to those struggling with a challenging home life, mental health issues, or immigrant Minnesotans’ has the support they need to succeed.
Finally, Sen. Smith understands that outside the classroom our kids are facing many barriers and she strongly supports reforming and expanding the Child Tax Credit to invest in children and reduce child poverty in Minnesota and across the nation.
Each Wednesday morning that the Senate is in session, Senator Smith invites Minnesotans visiting Washington to join her for coffee and conversation starting at 9 AM at her office in 720 Hart Senate Office Building. Sen. Smith will restart Coffee with Tina soon.
And if you have any questions, please feel free to call her Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-5641.
The Senate Appropriations Committee announced the return of Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS), previously known as Earmarks, in the Fiscal Year 2023 federal appropriations process. Any request for support must be submitted via electronic application by 5:00 p.m. C.T., Friday, April 15, 2022. Any CDS request must comply with Senate Rule XLIV.
Congressionally Directed Spending is capped at one percent of all discretionary spending. For-profit entities are not eligible for Congressionally Directed Spending. A specific list of accounts that will be open for CDS requests can be found here. Only these accounts are available for CDS requests.
The link to the Congressionally Directed Spending request application can be found here. The application process is now closed.
Members are required to post Congressionally Directed Spending requests 15 days after the subcommittee deadline for submitting requests. Members must also certify in writing that they are not pursuing any request to further his or her financial interest or that of his or her immediate family. In total, the following information must be disclosed publicly:
Senator Smith’s office is happy to help Minnesota organizations and individuals purchase flags that have been flown over the United States Capitol Building to commemorate special occasions. To request a flag, please fill out the form below. You can choose the size and material of your flag in addition to whether you would like to have the flag flown over the United States Capitol Building. If you would like to have the flag flown in someone’s honor on a specific date, please fill out their information on the form.
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact our office at (202) 224-5641.
3×5 Nylon $28.80
3×5 Cotton $29.80
4×6 Nylon $33.80
5×8 Nylon $38.80
5×8 Cotton $41.80
*Per flag: Shipping & Handling is $8.80 and Certificate & Flying fee is $9.00. (These fees are already included in above prices)
Senator Smith offers paid internships in her Washington, D.C. and St. Paul offices for qualified college students and recent college graduates. Interns will be selected based on the quality of their application and demonstrated commitment to public service. Sen. Smith accepts all applications for internships; however Minnesotans will be given preference. Unfortunately, we are not able to hire interns who are not US citizens or Permanent Residents. Our office offers a stipend for the internship. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Interning in Washington D.C. is a unique and exciting experience. Capitol Hill interns are given the opportunity to get a close-up look at the legislative processes of the United States Senate. In Senator Smith’s Washington D.C. office, we offer two types of internships—legislative and press.
In addition to their legislative or press duties, interns will assist with administrative tasks in the office. Interns are an integral part of keeping the office functional by assisting with the constituent mail process, guiding tours of the Capitol, and managing the front desk.
If you are interested in an internship in Sen. Smith’s D.C. office, please send your resume, cover letter (indicating weekly availability), and three references (name and contact information including email and phone numbers) to interns@smith.senate.gov. Please format the subject line of your email “First Name Last Name – Press OR Legislative – Spring/Summer/Fall Year”
Fall Internship Application Deadline – July 15
Spring Internship Application Deadline – November 15
Summer Internship Application Deadline – March 15
Similar to the D.C. office, interns will get an up-close look at the inner workings of a Senate office while also learning how an elected official’s office serves its constituents. You’ll learn how our staff help Minnesotans navigate federal agencies and see how they act as the “eyes and ears” of the Senator in the state.
During your time in the St. Paul office you’ll have the opportunity to attend events and meetings, as well as assist the office with administrative duties by helping process the mail, manage the front desk, and speaking to constituents both on the phone and in-person.
In addition, you will be paired with more than one staff member, some who match your interest areas and some that don’t. This way, you’ll have the ability to learn about topics you’re less familiar with and have a full understanding of how our St. Paul staff operate. You’ll assist your assigned staff with conducting research, writing letters and memos, as well as helping complete other projects based on the needs of the office.
If you are interested in an internship in Sen. Smith’s St. Paul office, please send your resume, cover letter (indicating weekly availability), and three references (name and contact information including email and phone numbers) to mninterns@smith.senate.gov, or fax to (651) 221-1078.
Fall Internship Application Deadline – July 15
Spring Internship Application Deadline – November 15
Summer Internship Application Deadline – March 15
Planning a trip to Washington, D.C? Senator Smith’s office is happy to help you arrange tours during your visit. Below is information about requesting specific tours, as well as links to some of the most popular area attractions. All of the tours described below are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
As always, Sen. Smith’s staff is happy to answer any additional questions you may have when planning your visit, just call (202) 224-5641. She also invites you to stop by her office for a visit while you are in town. Her office is located in room 720 of the Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
The emerging clean energy economy supports thousands of good-paying jobs in Minnesota and around the country. And wind, solar, and biofuels are helping to reduce carbon emissions, lower energy bills, and support rural economies. It’s clear that clean energy is a win-win for Minnesota, and that’s why Senator Tina Smith—a member of the Senate Energy Committee—is fighting for federal policies that support these innovative technologies.
Minnesota has long been a leader in renewable energy. The state ranks eighth in the nation for clean-energy patents, and in the last decade, clean energy startups have attracted more than $450 million in investments to Minnesota. In fact, because Minnesota is already close to meeting its goal of generating 25 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2025. While she served as Lieutenant Governor, Sen. Smith pushed for increasing Minnesota’s goal to 50 percent by 2030. A 50 percent standard could create up to 1,500 new jobs each year in the state while lowering the cost of energy for businesses and families, not to mention reducing harmful air pollution. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s biofuel industry generates nearly $5 billion for the state economy every year and supports thousands of jobs, all while producing a fuel that is more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
The bottom line is that clean energy isn’t just smart environmental policy—it’s smart economic policy. The federal government should be following Minnesota’s lead and doing more to accelerate the clean energy transition. We can do this by funding more clean energy research, extending tax credits that incentivize renewable energy, and supporting biofuels. You can count on Sen. Smith to continue fighting for these policies in the Senate.
Minnesota—in protecting freshwater resources and leading the way in creating a clean energy economy—has always been at the forefront of crafting responsible environmental policy. And as a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Sen. Smith carries this spirit to Washington and continues to fight for federal policies that seek to combat climate change, preserve clean air and clean water, and protect our most precious natural landscapes.
Despite the great work being done in states like Minnesota, environmental challenges persist every day. Terrible accidents like the Flint water crisis where cost-cutting measures led to dangerous levels of lead in Michigan homes, and sweeping challenges like climate change, make clear that the federal government has an important role to play in protecting our environment. Ignoring this responsibility would put our natural treasures, our public health, and even our economy at risk.
Part of this responsibility means fighting back against efforts to rollback responsible environmental policy. Decisions like pulling out of the Paris Agreement, a landmark international agreement to address climate change, and undermining a plan to reduce air pollution are both outdated and out of touch with what most Americans want. Sen. Smith will fight back against policies that threaten our environment and our public health, but she stands ready work with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make sure our environmental policies work better for Minnesotans and all Americans.
Senator Smith believes that every person deserves access to affordable, high-quality health care. That’s why, as Lieutenant Governor, she fought to protect, improve, and expand access to health care coverage for Minnesotans. And now that she’s in the Senate, Sen. Smith is continuing that fight as a member of the Senate Health Committee and a leader in the Rural Health Caucus.
A top priority for Sen. Smith is addressing the high cost of healthcare. Too many Minnesotans are burdened by the high cost of their health care coverage, and others are going without insurance. That’s why Sen. Smith is working with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle to address the underlying issues that make health care expensive, starting with the high price of prescription drugs.
Sen. Smith is committed to working in a bipartisan way to make sure our current health care system works for everyone. That said, she will oppose any efforts to limit coverage for Minnesotans, slash Medicaid, and deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions. Minnesotans and people across this country rely on their health coverage and any attempt to take that away is unacceptable.
Protecting coverage for Minnesotans includes defending vital programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Over one million Minnesotans are covered by Medicaid and CHIP, many of whom are children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities. Cuts to Medicaid or other federal health programs would hurt families, particularly in rural and underserved communities. That’s why Sen. Smith will fight hard to make sure that Minnesotans can continue to rely on these programs now and in the future.
In her previous role as Lieutenant Governor, Sen. Smith championed efforts to tackle the opioid and drug abuse epidemic that’s ravaging communities in Minnesota and across the country. At the federal level, she plans to continue that fight, pushing for increased funding so that state and tribal leaders, health care professionals, law enforcement, and all those affected by this epidemic can effectively tackle opioid addiction and other alcohol and substance use disorders. Sen. Smith will also advocate for commonsense policies that make sure insurers and providers treat mental illness and substance abuse disorders in the same way they treat physical illnesses.
Throughout her life, Sen. Smith been a tireless champion for women’s health and a woman’s right to make decisions about her own health care. As Senator, she can assure you that won’t change.
Sen. Smith is proud to represent the eleven tribes who call Minnesota home.
When Senator Smith first joined the Senate, she asked to serve on the Indian Affairs Committee because she’s heard time and time again from leaders in Indian Country who are frustrated that policy decisions are being made without bringing tribes to the table. There are tremendous needs in Indian Country, and Sen. Smith understands that leaders in Indian Country often have answers for how the federal government can step up and fulfill its obligation to tribal communities.
Sen. Smith wants to make sure programs—from energy and economy development to health and education—are adequately supported. She believes we need to address the effects of the opioid crisis on tribal communities, especially on mothers and children. We need to address the lack of housing in Indian Country, which makes it harder to attract teachers, law enforcement officers, and health care workers that reservations need.
Sen. Smith believes we also need to give tribes the tools to develop their workforce and attract business and investment, while also investing in basic infrastructure like roads and broadband.
Senator Smith is committed to fighting for more jobs and building a stronger economy—one that works for everyone so businesses grow and workers get better jobs with better pay, and so we can invest in infrastructure and manufacturing. Sen. Smith wants to address college affordability and expand career and workforce training for young people who don’t go to a four-year college.
Despite the fact that the economy is rebounding, too many Minnesota families struggle to make ends meet, face a job loss, or grapple with a shrinking pay check. Sen. Smith believes that in order to build an economy that works for everyone, we need a fairer tax code that supports working families, not just the wealthiest of Americans. We need paid family and medical leave for workers so that parents can stay home to take care of a newborn or a sick a family member without losing a paycheck. We need to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to close the pay gap between men and women. We need fair trade policies that help Minnesota workers, businesses, and farmers get ahead, and we need to crack down on foreign countries that break international trade rules and put American workers out of jobs. We need to hold Wall Street accountable and make sure they don’t cause another economic collapse. We need to invest in small businesses and support entrepreneurs. And we need to help foster the next generation of Minnesota innovators by investing in research and development.
As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Sen. Smith will build on Minnesota’s proud history of invention and creativity by supporting our classrooms, students, and our workforce.
Minnesota has a proud tradition of being at the forefront of helping to defend our national security. Elements of the Minnesota National Guard led the Allied invasion forces in North Africa and Italy during World War II, they dutifully protected our northern border during the Cold War, and they have been called upon time and again in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to provide warfighting support, medical evacuation, and transportation. Sen. Smith will carry this spirit of leadership and fight for principled national security policies that prudently employ our investments in personnel, technology, and partnerships with our allies for the benefits of our nation.
The U.S. military is the best in the world. However, as the recently released National Defense Review highlighted, the number of threats to our national security is growing. Terrorism, great power competition, and nuclear proliferation will not be easy national security challenges but the way forward is clear. We must continue to invest in personnel, technology, and the partnerships that have been so successful at ensuring our security.
It is also important to recognize that our national security is best served when the military is not our only tool. We must also make effective use of diplomacy and development. Diplomacy is essential if we are going to solve tough security challenges from the Middle East to China and North Korea – without dangerous military conflict. And fostering development is not only good for the communities where it happens – it is good for the U.S. because it promotes stability and prosperity and fosters alliances.
The men and women who have honorably served our nation in uniform deserve our utmost respect, and when they return home we need to make sure our veterans get the benefits and care they earned. Sen. Tina Smith believes this includes ensuring they’re able to pursue higher education, find housing and good jobs, and helping them heal from the wounds of war and access health care. It also means making sure veterans receive quality, timely care, and that we actively seek out legislative fixes when we find gaps in the law that prevent them from receiving the benefits they’ve justly earned.
In order to do this, Sen. Smith encourages you to reach out to her when you hear about a veteran who needs assistance. Whether it be helping to connect them to services, advocating on their behalf, or working to fix a legislative issues, Sen. Smith is here to help.