Tag: Tina Smith

Karin Housley twists Tina Smith’s finances to allege profits from big pharma

In a recent Minnesota Republican ad for U.S. Senate, a man and woman clink flutes of champagne on the beach as text rolls across the screen: “Tina Smith loves the good life.”

Smith is defending her U.S. Senate seat on Nov. 6. She was appointed to the position earlier this year after fellow Democrat Al Franken stepped down following sexual misconduct allegations.

The “good life” ad comes from Smith’s Republican challenger, state Sen. Karin Housley, and the text on screen quickly departs from the beach scene’s serenity.

View the complete October 31 article by Kyra Haas on the PolitiFact.com website here.

DEBATE: Housley Stands With Big Pharma, Not Minnesotans

Sen. Smith is taking on Big Pharma and getting things done for families affected by the opioid crisis

Karin Housley has repeatedly stood with Big Pharma over Minnesotans, whether it’s supporting tax cuts for big drug companies or voting to line the pockets of opioid manufacturers. Housley supported the Republican tax law that gave a trillion-dollar tax cut to big corporations, including prescription drug companies. And she was one of only six people to vote against overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation (60-6) to hold opioid manufacturers accountable and require them to help pay for treatment programs. During debate on the floor, GOP lawmakers urged their colleagues to “have a spine” and vote for the bill, and said the pharmaceutical companies had “lied to the public.” Housley remained unmoved.

In contrast, the first thing Sen. Smith did when she got to the Senate was take on Big Pharma. Her first bill helps to lower the cost of prescription medicines by closing a corporate loophole that giant drug companies use to game the system and keep affordable generic drugs off the market. She also introduced the Affordable Medications Act, which would make prescription drugs more affordable, penalize drug companies for hiking up drug prices, invest in research for better medications, and prevent companies from gaming the system to block competition and keep drug prices high.

And just last week, major bipartisan opioids legislation that Sen. Smith helped write—which will provide $1.5 billion in funding for states, tribes and communities to bolster their prevention, treatment and recovery efforts—was signed into law by the President.

FACT: HOUSLEY HAS REPEATEDLY STOOD WITH BIG PHARMA OVER MINNESOTANS

Housley Voted Against Imposing A Fee On Pharmaceutical Companies “To Fund Prevention And Treatment Programs And County Social Services To Address The Opioid Addiction Epidemic.” “The Minnesota Senate passed a bill Thursday that imposes $20 million in annual fees on pharmaceutical companies to fund prevention and treatment programs and county social services to address the opioid addiction epidemic.”  The bill passed 60-6. [SF730, SJ8829, 5/10/18; MPR, 5/10/18]

Star Tribune Headline: Tsunami Of Lobbying Greets Bipartisan Effort At Minnesota Capitol To Tax Opioids [Star Tribune,5/05/18]

Housley Said She Was For Repeal And Replace. “Housley: Saying she was for repeal and replace, which didn’t happen due to the slim Republican margin in the Senate — ‘Which is another reason I’m running.’” [Rochester Post Bulletin, 7/10/18]

Bill Cut Taxes Imposed On Drug Makers And Health Insurers. “Repeal the taxes on health insurers, prescription drug makers and medical devices. The bill seeks to lift the annual tax Obamacare imposed on drug makers and health insurers and It would also get rid of the 2.3% excise tax on the sale of certain medical devices that was put in place. The taxes would disappear in either 2017 or 2018, depending on the levy.” [CNN, 7/14/17]

Housley “Cheered The Tax Cut Bill[.]” “When it comes to policy, Housley is running more or less as a standard-issue Republican: She favors repealing the Affordable Care Act, has cheered the tax cut bill that was signed into law last year, and opposes abortion rights.” [Minnpost, 9/06/18]

Bloomberg: “U.S. Drugmakers Will Be One Of The Biggest Beneficiaries Of The Repatriation Portion Of The Bill.” “U.S. drugmakers will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the repatriation portion of the bill. They’ve been sitting on billions of dollars in overseas earnings and can now bring home that cash at a reduced rate. While the tax bill has been promoted by Republicans as a job creator, the reality is that drug companies are more likely to return the money to shareholders, or use it to make acquisitions.”  [Bloomberg, 12/15/17]

Fortune: Pfizer Is The Latest Drug Maker To Reap Billions From Trump’s Tax Cuts [Fortune, 1/30/18]

FACT: TINA SMITH IS TAKING ON BIG PHARMA AND GETTING THINGS DONE FOR MINNESOTA FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE OPIOID CRISIS

KMSP Headline: Sen. Smith Taking On ‘Big Pharma’ [Fox9, 7/08/18]

“Smith Has Taken Aim At ‘Big Pharma’” With a Bill Which “Aims To Increase Access To More Affordable, Generic Drugs[.]”  “Smith has taken aim at ‘Big Pharma’ since being sworn in as a senator. She’s introduced two bills this year: one aims to increase access to more affordable, generic drugs, while the other would require the pharmaceutical companies to explain why drug prices are what they are.” [Fox9, 7/08/18]

WCCO Headline: Sen. Tina Smith Pushing Bill To Lower Prescription Drug Prices  [WCCO, 3/25/18]

Smith Introduced The “Affordable Medications Act” Aiming To Lower The Cost Of Prescription Drugs.  “Senator Tina Smith has introduced a bill aiming to lower the cost of prescription drugs, while making the marketplace more competitive to the benefit of the consumer.  It’s called the ‘Affordable Medications Act,’ and was introduced earlier this week.” [KBJR, 9/07/18]

Smith Wrote Part Of The Opioid Bill.  “The U.S. Senate this week passed new opioid legislation written in part by Senator Tina Smith. ‘It will support more medication assisted treatment and it gets targeted resources to states and tribes to expand treatment and recovery,’ said Sen. Smith. ‘All of these things will help stem the tide of this terrible epidemic which is killing thousands of Minnesotans and Americans every year.’” [Fox9, 9/18/18]

President Trump Signed The Opioid Bill, “A Rare Piece Of Legislation That Garnered Bipartisan Support. “President Trump signed a sweeping opioids bill into law Wednesday, a rare piece of legislation that garnered bipartisan support. The bill addresses numerous aspects of the opioid crisis, including prevention, treatment and recovery.” [10/24/18]

Karin Housley’s Record on Women and Economic Issues

Here are two elements of Housley’s record on women and economic issues.

Housley has made clear through her votes and her own comments that not only will she oppose legislative efforts to help women, she doesn’t think it’s worth her or Congress’ time.

Karin Housley voted against ensuring equal pay for women and expanding paid family and sick leave

Housley voted against the Women’s Economic Security Act (WESA), which was signed into law on Mother’s Day in 2014 and is considered landmark bipartisan legislation. WESA helps to close the gender pay gap by ensuring equal pay for equal work, expand paid family and sick leave, and strengthens workplace protections for women. More than 30 Republicans in the House and Senate voted for WESA. Despite this bipartisan effort, Housley voted against it.

Karin Housley said legislation to help women makes them look “weaker”

Earlier this year, Housley was asked about “what legislation she is putting forth to make things better or easier for women.” Her response? Housley said, “I believe that when you’re doing that, you make us look weaker.” She continued: “I think sometimes when we legislate to help women, we actually aren’t helping them.”

Millions of women have been helped by legislation:  the 19th Amendment, the Equal Pay Act, the Civil Rights Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and Minnesota’s Women’s Economic Security Act.

Bipartisan Opioids Bill Sen. Smith Helped Write Signed Into Law

Senator Smith continues to get the job done for Minnesotans. Yesterday, President Trump signed into law the bipartisan Opioids Bills that Sen. Smith helped write, which will bring $1.5 billion in funding for states, tribes, and communities to bolster their prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts. The bill signed into law also includes provisions from a bill that Sen. Smith wrote with Republican Lisa Murkowski – the Improving Access to Mental Health Services Act — that expands mental health services for schools and local communities.

Karin Housley Sides With Opioid Manufacturers Over Minnesota Families

That’s in stark contrast to Karin Housley, who has repeatedly chosen to side with powerful opioid manufacturers and special interests instead of helping families affected by the crisis.

In May, Housley was one of only six people to vote against overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation (60-6) to hold opioid manufacturers accountable and require them to help pay for treatment programs. During debate on the floor, Republican lawmakers urged their colleagues to “have a spine” and vote for the bill, and said the pharmaceutical companies had “lied to the public.” Housley remained unmoved and voted to line the pockets of Big Pharma over helping Minnesota families.

Karin Housley Ad Accuses Tina Smith Of Profiting From Shady Dealings

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — There’s an eye-catching new political campaign ad from Republican U.S. Senate candidate Karin Housley.

It accuses Democratic U.S. Senator Tina Smith of personally profiting from ethically shady business investments. How true is it?

The ad is an homage to a popular Corona beer television commercial featuring a couple sitting on beach chairs on an ocean. Featuring the sounds of ocean waves, and the clinking of champagne glasses as if toasting.

But that’s where the similarity ends. Housley’s ad goes on the attack. Against the serene ocean backdrop, words appear on the screen: Tina Smith “profited from the opioid crisis.”

View the complete article by Pat Kessler on the WCCO website here.

Three Times Karin Housley Would Have Gutted Protections For People With Pre-Existing Conditions

St. Paul – Karin Housley has repeatedly supported health care plans that would not protect people with pre-existing conditions.

Here are three times when Housley would have gutted protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

1. Housley supported the 2017 Republican Health Care Plan (That Would Have Gutted Protections For Pre-Existing Conditions)

Housley supported the Republican health care plan that failed in Congress last year by one vote that would have gutted protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The Republican plan also would have increased people’s health care costs and imposed an age tax which would have allowed insurance companies to charge older Americans up to five times more. Continue reading “Three Times Karin Housley Would Have Gutted Protections For People With Pre-Existing Conditions”

Karin Housley and Pension: A Casual Disregard for Doing the Work for Minnesotans

When it comes to the issues, Karin Housley is unprepared and uninterested. The latest example: she is unaware of the crisis putting the pensions of more than 22,000 Minnesotans at risk.

During a recent AARP Minnesota tele-townhall, Housley was asked by a caller if she was familiar with the Central States Pension Fund, which holds retirement money for 22,000 Minnesotans and faces insolvency in just 7 years. After several seconds of silence, it quickly became clear that Housley was both unaware of the pension fund’s existence and unable to answer the question.

It’s impossible to convey just how unprepared Housley was on this issue facing tens of thousands of Minnesotans. At the end, the moderator kindly informed her about the pension fund. Click here to hear Housley’s unbelievable and inexcusable answer for yourself. Continue reading “Karin Housley and Pension: A Casual Disregard for Doing the Work for Minnesotans”

DFL Chairman Ken Martin statement on Sen. Tina Smith primary win

“Sen. Tina Smith has served Minnesotans well in Washington, D.C. and for many years before as a public servant. Her strong and decisive victory tonight is a testament to the trust that Minnesota voters have in Tina to represent their interests. Minnesota voters know that Tina is fighting every day to solve the problems that they are facing – whether it’s taking on big pharma to lower the cost of medicine, passing a bipartisan farm bill, or fighting to protect the pensions of hard working Minnesotans.”

Sen. Tina Smith is Sworn In

Former Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith was sworn in as U.S. Senator for Minnesota on Tuesday.  

“Congratulations to U.S. Senator Tina Smith and her family,” said DFL Chairman Ken Martin. “I am grateful she stepped forward to serve Minnesotans in this role, and I am convinced she will continue in the proud tradition of other strong progressives who held this same seat before her.”

“I have had the good fortune to know Tina for over 20 years and can tell you that there is no one better equipped to take on this unique challenge than her. She has spent years listening to Minnesotans across the state and fighting to ensure their voices are represented at all levels of government.”

“Tina is a person who brings people together to solve complex problems. Through this consensus-building approach, she has developed widespread respect on both sides of the aisle. I truly have not met a person in Minnesota politics who does not like Tina, which is a remarkable feat in modern politics. I am confident that she will hit the ground running in Washington and serve Minnesotans well in a federal government so polarized by politics.”

 

Tina Smith Has Just 10 Months to Keep Her New Job

The following article by Simone Pathé was posted on the Roll Call website January 4, 2018:

New Minnesota senator will face voters in November special election

Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith, appointed to replace Sen. Al Franken, will face voters in a special election in November. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Tina Smith just got here. And now she has 10 months to try to keep her new job as Minnesota’s junior senator.

She’ll face voters in a November special election to fill out former Democratic-Farmer-Labor Sen. Al Franken’s term. It’s an incredibly condensed timeline for what could be a competitive race in a state Hillary Clinton won by less than 2 points in 2016.

Smith starts with the disadvantages of incumbency — having a day job one thousand miles away from home — without all of the advantages. Her Democratic peers up for re-election this year will have had a full two-year cycle to put together a campaign, not to mention at least six years in the Senate to fundraise and build a brand. Continue reading “Tina Smith Has Just 10 Months to Keep Her New Job”