Press Releases

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement in response to the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales:

"Alberto Gonzales was not up for the job of U.S. Attorney General, and I am pleased he announced his resignation. I am disappointed the President did not act sooner to preserve the integrity of the Justice Department.

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and a majority of his colleagues in the House of Representatives passed an energy package on Saturday that will make our nation more secure, create new American jobs, reduce energy costs to consumers, and fight global warming.

"We face serious security and environmental challenges that are tied to our dependence on oil and on foreign oil in particular. These bills will help protect the environment, promote alternative energy sources grown right here in the United States, and help end our dependence on foreign oil supplies," Smith said.

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) issued the following statement on Saturday regarding S. 1927, a bill that included changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act regarding warrantless wiretapping and other surveillance. Smith voted against the measure which would threaten Americans' Constitutional right to privacy. The bill passed by a vote of 227 to 183.

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement regarding H.R. 1495, the reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act. The bill included a needed one-year extension of Section 214 authority, which allows the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to accept and spend funds from non-federal public entities to expedite infrastructure improvement permit applications.

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today voted with a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives to ensure our troops have the time at home they need. The Ensuring Military Readiness Through Stability and Predictability Deployment Policy Act was approved by a vote of 229-194.

"Our local military families are under an enormous strain due to the length and number of deployments being required of them. This bill will give them a chance to recover, reconnect, rest and train before they return to the battlefield," Smith said.

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today voted for H.R. 2272, the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science Act (COMPETES) Act, part of the House Democrats' Innovation Agenda. The bill passed by a vote of 367 to 57.

Smith and his colleagues in the New Democrat Coalition were instrumental in crafting the Agenda in the 109th Congress.

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) announced that H.R. 1302, the Global Poverty Act, had been favorably reported by the House Foreign Affairs Committee to the full House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 31, 2007. The bill received broad bipartisan support within the committee and passed by a unanimous consent agreement. H.R. 1302 codifies the reduction of global poverty as national policy and requires the Administration to create a strategy to support such a policy. Smith sponsored the bill with U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.).

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement following House passage of the Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act of 2007. The bill reauthorizes the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and provides health insurance to 11 million eligible children. Smith voted for the legislation, which passed by a vote of 225 to 204.