This year, Congress is expected to take up the Farm Bill, one of the most important pieces of legislation we consider, which covers everything from crop insurance to food access for low-income families and promotion of sustainable farming practices. The Farm Bill impacts every Minnesotan by connecting the crops that our farmers produce to the food our children eat and the air we breathe. I’ve listened to stakeholders across Minnesota on how the federal government can better address the needs of our communities, and I’m excited to use my position on the Senate Agriculture Committee to build a great bipartisan bill.

We just passed the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Clinic, which ended the constitutional right to abortion care. The ongoing attack on reproductive rights has put millions in danger as pregnant people in some states are unable to get the lifesaving care they need.

I’ve introduced the Protecting Access to Medication Abortion Act to ensure that patients have the right to choose their future by accessing safe abortion medication anywhere in the country. We need to do everything we can to defend the remaining access to reproductive health care while trying to restore the federal right to an abortion. While we’re continuing to fight for reproductive rights at the national level, I’m proud of the work Minnesotans have done to make our state a safe haven in the upper Midwest and across the country for abortion access.

I’m always eager to get home and travel across Minnesota. I always say: the best ideas come from those closest to an issue, so I love finding ways to connect with people on the ground. These are some of the things I’ve done in the last few weeks:

I hosted a press conference with Native and Tribal leaders along with Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan in response to the Supreme Court upholding the Indian Child Welfare Act – a law that ensures that Native children in the child welfare system remain in their Tribal community. 

Juneteenth is a time to celebrate Black freedom while reckoning with the continual impacts of slavery in the United States. To commemorate the holiday, I visited the West Broadway Block Party in North Minneapolis with State Senator Bobby Joe Champion and attended the third annual Rondo celebration in St. Paul.

Rainbow Health Minnesota treats and prevents the spread of HIV while advocating on behalf of those living with HIV. I learned from staff and leaders at Rainbow Health, and brought their stories to Congress by introducing a bill that would eliminate the out-of-pocket costs for PrEP, a drug that prevents the spread of HIV. This bill would expand access to the drug and establish a public health campaign to spread awareness of this safe and effective treatment. 

I’m always finding new ways to meet Minnesotans where they’re at and let them know how I’m fighting for working families in Washington, DC. Feel free to stay up to date with me by following my Twitter @SenTinaSmith, Instagram @SenatorTinaSmith, or Facebook.