AdamSmith RSS Articles

Smith’s Statement on Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Congressman Adam Smith made the following statement regarding his vote against the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009:

Our system of paying doctors who treat Medicare patients is deeply flawed and must be fixed. Any fix must meet two overarching criteria. First and foremost, it must be paid for without adding to our already overwhelming debt. Second, it must address the problems of regional disparity that are so harmful to Washington state. It is neither fair nor fiscally sustainable that Medicare now pays some doctors more for the exact same services in certain parts of the country than it does in others. For decades Washington State doctors have been paid substantially less for the same services than doctors in other regions of the Country and this must change.

I voted against this bill today because it failed on both these issues. It was not paid for - and would add over $200 Billion to our debt - and it did not address the problem of regional disparity.

Smith Introduces Legislation to Increase Job Opportunities for Veterans

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) introduced legislation to help ensure that veterans have quality, well-paying job opportunities. The bill, Veterans to Work Pilot Program Act of 2009, will expand job opportunities by creating a 5-year pilot program to enroll military veterans in apprenticeship programs and employ them on military construction projects.

“We should be doing everything possible to ensure that the brave men and women who serve our country come home to good, family-wage, quality job opportunities when they return from their assignments abroad,” said Congressman Adam Smith. “By calling upon the Department of Defense to explore the utilization of veteran apprentices in military construction projects, we are working to find innovative ways to help our veterans secure employment and ease the transition into civilian life.”

The legislation would specifically require the Secretary of Defense to designate at least twenty military construction projects per year where, to the maximum extent feasible, the utilization of veteran apprenticeship labor would be required. At the end of each year, and at the conclusion of the pilot program, the Secretary would be required to submit a report to Congress that, among other things, evaluates the benefits of employing apprentices who are veterans on Military Construction projects.

“Our veterans, military personnel and their families make enormous sacrifices on our behalf, and they deserve our support and gratitude. I am proud to be a strong advocate for them in Congress and I will continue to seek ways to improve their quality of life and improve the benefits they receive for their service.”

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Smith Votes to Support Local Fire Departments

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) voted to provide local firefighters with the tools and resources they need to prevent and fight fires, and keep our communities safe.

“At a time when many towns and cities in Washington state are facing budget shortfalls and cuts to basic services, this bill helps to ease the burden on local fire departments by providing federal funding to help provide training, purchase equipment and vehicles, and hire personnel,” said Congressman Adam Smith. “Countless lives are saved every day by the courageous efforts of first responders, firefighters and EMTs and we must ensure they get the resources they need to protect our communities.”

Specifically, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009 authorizes $1 billion in each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014 for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grants program, which provides funds for local fire departments and emergency medical services organizations to purchase equipment. It also authorizes $1.2 billion in each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014 for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, which provides grants for hiring and retaining personnel.

The bill also makes it easier for local fire departments to access these critical funds by lowering matching requirements and modifying time commitments, which will allow more fire stations to apply for the grants. Grant recipients would be required to match 10% of the grant’s funding, and the bill allows the Administrator of the program to waive or reduce the matching requirements for applicants that have demonstrated economic hardship.

In fiscal year 2008, which is the most current data available, Washington state was awarded nearly $9.5 million through the SAFER Grant Program and nearly $11.4 million through the Assistance to Firefighters Program.

Ft. Lewis Continues to Bear Brunt of Afghanistan Conflict

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) released the following statement in regard to the memorial service at Fort Lewis today honoring seven local soldiers killed in combat on October 27, 2009.

“Today, we honor the soldiers who died on October 27, 2009 and offer our condolences to their families and friends. As we saw on the tragic day when these seven brave soldiers were killed and with the confirmation of two additional Fort Lewis soldiers passing yesterday, our local military personnel continue to bear the brunt of the conflict in Afghanistan.

“We owe our brave men and women in uniform our deepest gratitude, and not just when they make the ultimate sacrifice. As a member of Congress who represents thousands of our military personnel, their families and our Veterans, I am constantly working to ensure they the support and benefits they deserve.

“Our local military personnel and their families play an important role in both our combat operations abroad and in our communities here at home. In combat, they are the brave men and women who selflessly put themselves in harms way to protect the greater good. At home, they are the individuals and families that make Washington state a wonderful place to live. For this, we are forever indebted to them.”

Smith’s Statement in Observance of Veterans Day

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) made the following statement in observance of Veterans Day:

“In 1918, on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, on the 11th month major hostilities of World War I ceased. As the impact of this conflict began to set in and the world took stock of the damages one thing was clear: the valiant service of our brave men and women had defeated tyranny and pushed back the threat of terror. American ideals and the forces of democracy prevailed that day, and American service members led the way. This day, this moment in history, became known as Veterans Day.

“In the years since, millions of Americans have worn the uniform, taken the oath and fought to keep America safe. Millions have perished in this pursuit, and countless more have been injured, but the bravery and valor of our soldiers has never wavered. These are the men and women that enable all aspects of the American way and stand as the safeguard that defends us from those who wish to do us harm.

“America boasts the best-trained, most professional troops in the world. They and their families make enormous sacrifices on our behalf, and they have earned our support and gratitude. I am humbled by their service, and I am proud to represent so many of them in Congress. This Veterans Day, let us remember their courage, their sacrifices, and our commitments to them.”

Statement on Shooting at Fort Hood

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Congressman Adam Smith released the following statement in response to the shooting at Fort Hood Thursday, November 5, 2009. A Memorial Ceremony to honor the victims of the shooting will be held tomorrow.

“The recent shooting at Fort Hood is a grave tragedy. Our brave men and women selflessly put themselves in harms way to protect us and should not have to worry about incidences of violence taking place while on American soil. They face enough danger while they are abroad.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the fallen and injured soldiers and their families. As we grieve for the lost soldiers and pray for the recovery of the injured, we should also reaffirm our broader commitment to ensuring that our military personnel and their families receive the benefits and support they deserve.

“In the days and weeks ahead, I will play an active role in evaluating the incident and help to make policy adjustments to reduce the likelihood of a similar event occurring in the future.”

Statement on Health Care Reform

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Healthcare Reform

"Throughout the health care reform debate I have continually stated that our healthcare system must be reformed. It costs too much, doesn’t cover enough people, and incentivizes inefficiencies. Reform must expand access, reduce the overall amount of money we spend on health care, and promote quality of care over quantity. In order to succeed, real reform must be built on these three pillars, without which we will not be able to provide sustainable universal access.

"Real reform cannot take place unless the process continues to move forward and despite my strong misgivings with the current bill, I fundamentally recognize the dire need for health care reform in our country.

"There are far too many people in our country who either do not have insurance or are underinsured. This represents both a moral and economic problem. Additionally, and most importantly, our health care system needs cost containment reform, without which many individuals who currently have insurance will be unable to keep it. It is expected that next year employers who offer health insurance will likely see a 9 percent increase in cost. On top of recent increases, if costs continue to rise at this rate employers will no longer be able to afford to offer insurance to their employees and many more Americans will become underinsured or uninsured. This problem must be addressed.

"Additionally, the United States currently spends more per capita on healthcare than any other country in the world. Beyond this, our government spends more per person than many countries with single-payer systems. If we do not address the inefficiencies in our system and rein in the cost of care, difficult as it may be, we will never be able to provide sustainable universal coverage to all Americans. The costs will simply be too high to sustain and will weigh down our economy.

"The initial bill before Congress, H.R. 3200, had significant problems and would not have received my vote. The current bill, H.R. 3962, has made progress toward achieving the kind reform I have consistently advocated, but any final bill must go even further.

"One of the most important changes from H.R. 3200 is the inclusion of a geographic variation study that will reassess the unfair reimbursement rates across the country and benefit seniors in Washington state. While the study could have been more aggressive and could be enacted sooner, this is a very positive step toward correcting the unfair bias that has hurt Washington state’s seniors for too long.

"In addition, H.R. 3962 takes some real steps toward addressing the inadequate fee-for-service model through the establishment of several pilot projects aimed at changing the way we pay for health care. These changes are a step in the right direction. H.R. 3962 also includes incentives to promote bundling of services and payments, which has proven in many settings to reduce the cost of care while maintaining a high quality.

"Further, H.R. 3962 begins to address some of the inefficiencies in Medicare and slows the rate of growth in Medicare spending from its current rate of 6.6% to 5.3% annually. It also decreases the national deficit by $109 billion in the first ten years and is projected to continue to reduce the deficit in the second ten years.

"Finally, I do appreciate the process that gave sufficient time for all of us to thoroughly examine the details of this important piece of legislation. I was deeply troubled by the push to vote on the original bill last July before the August recess. The additional three months given to consider the bill was a very positive step. I also appreciate that we have had the full text of H.R. 3962 available on line for over a week. Far too often in the past major legislation has been rushed to a vote in a matter of hours.

"While these steps show real progress, more must be done. This bill still costs too much and does not do enough to rein in the cost of care. Moreover, the many regulations in this bill can and should be simplified to make it easier for businesses and individuals to understand and comply with them. The final bill will need to make great strides in these areas to earn my vote.

"My vote, in effect, is to move the process forward. This is not the final phase in the process and in the weeks ahead the Senate will vote on its version of the bill and then the House and the Senate must reconcile their differences. I am hopeful that through this process my remaining concerns will be addressed and we can finally move to provide universal access to health care and reform our system in a way that protects individuals and reins in out of control costs. More than anything, my ‘yes’ vote today reflects the fact that, despite my concerns with the current bill, I cannot vote in favor of the status quo."

Smith Expands Health Care IT Loans to Home Health Care Agencies

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) offered an amendment to H.R. 3854, the Small Business Financing and Investment Act, to expand health information technology loan guarantees to home health care agencies.

“Our home health care agencies provide an invaluable service and we must provide them with the support they need to improve the quality of care for our seniors,” said Congressman Adam Smith. “These businesses provide efficient and effective services for patients at home rather than in more expensive facilities, saving money and preventing unnecessary hospital and emergency room visits. Expanding access to capital for these agencies will help to improve their delivery of care and reduce health care costs for our seniors.”

A key provision of the bill includes a small business health information technology financing program that will create loan guarantees for up to 90 percent of the amount of a loan made to qualified, eligible professionals to be used for the acquisition and installation of health information technology equipment and programs.

Initially, the program excluded home care agencies. Smith’s amendment addressed this omission by expanding the definition of an “eligible professional” under H.R. 3854 to include home health care agencies, making them eligible to receive loan guarantees for health information technology.

Overall, this bipartisan bill will comprehensively expand the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) lending programs to spur job creation and meet the needs of American small business. It will help a range of small businesses including fledgling start-ups, established firms seeking to go public, veteran-owned businesses, rural and urban businesses in need, small manufacturers, health care providers, and entrepreneurs advancing American clean energy. The increased loan limits and guarantees included in this legislation are critical to supporting small business endeavors that bring about jobs and local economic benefits. This legislation will also complement the recently announced Treasury program that will make TARP funds available to local community banks in order to provide the capital necessary to increase lending to small businesses. For more information on this bill click here.

Smith’s Statement on Boeing’s Second 787 Plant Announcement

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) made the following statement regarding Boeing’s announcement today to locate the second production line for the 787 outside of Washington state:

“I am extremely disappointed that Boeing decided to locate the second production line for the 787 outside of Washington state. This development will have a negative impact on Washington and its workers and will send a substantial number of jobs and economic activity away from the state.

“Throughout the years Washington state and its workers have provided Boeing with the incentives, support, and high-quality workers that have allowed it to become one of the world’s leading aerospace companies. Given this history and all that Washington state has to offer, it is extremely disappointing to see them push aside our workers and develop the second plant outside of the state.

“I hope that this decision does not represent a larger shift in the company’s approach to doing business and that future Boeing decisions are based on the uniquely strong business environment and highly skilled, quality workers in Washington state.

“I will continue to work with leaders in the congressional delegation and around the state to encourage economic growth in Washington and support workers and businesses as they strive to be industry leaders.”

Smith Praises Support for Small Business, Community Banks

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

As the overall economy continues to show signs of life, our local small businesses continue to struggle to recover and access capital from our community banks. It is imperative that they receive the support they need in order to grow and add jobs. While many of the Federal Government’s efforts over the last year have helped stabilize our economy and financial sectors, they have not gone far enough.

With these concerns in mind, the President has asked Congress to increase the maximum size of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) flagship 7(a) loans from $2 million to $5 million. Additionally, he has requested an increase in the size limit on the SBA’s 504 loans, which primarily are used for real estate, to $5 million from $2 million for standard borrowers, and to $5.5 million from $4 million for manufacturers. There is a strong need for an increase in these loans and Congress must respond to assist our local economies recover.

Additionally, to help make additional lending more feasible for our community banks – which provide most of the loans to our small businesses – the plan will lower the dividend rate for banks with less than $1 billion in assets from 5 percent to 3 percent. This will help our local banks support our small businesses.

I am pleased to see that the President has acted to support these critical institutions in our communities and I will continue to make supporting our small businesses and community banks a top priority.