Press Releases

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) announced his dissatisfaction with the passage of the seven-bill, $ 820 billion Fiscal Year 2004 omnibus spending package. The thirteen annual appropriations bills are usually reviewed and passed individually, but for a second year in a row there has been one Omnibus spending package that funds most of the governments operations. When passing an Omnibus instead of the individual bills, the package tends to include many harmful riders and not focus on fiscal discipline.

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) announced his decision to vote against the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003. Prescription drug coverage in this bill is discontinuous and leaves many seniors paying a monthly premium while not receiving any benefits. After the initial coverage limit of $2,200, beneficiaries are forced to pay 100 percent of the cost until total drug spending reaches approximately $5,100, after which the plan will pick up the majority of costs. This confusing patchwork quilt of coverage results in an insufficient program for beneficiaries.

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) is pleased to announce today that the Department of Homeland Security, through the Urban Area Security Initiative, has given the City of Seattle and Sound Transit more than $17 million to help enhance their overall security and preparedness level to prevent, respond and recover from acts of terrorism.

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) is disappointed that the Republican majority failed to pass fully-funded concurrent receipt and eliminate the Disabled Veteran's tax. A Democratic motion to recommit, proposed during consideration of the fiscal year 2004 Department of Defense authorization bill, would have eliminated the law which reduces a veteran's retirement benefit on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the amount the veteran receives in disability compensation. The measure would have fully funded both benefits to veterans. It failed by a vote of 217-188.

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) is pleased to congratulate the King County Sheriff's Office, the Green River Task Force and King County Sheriff Dave Reichert on solving the nation's largest serial killer case. Over the last 20 years, detectives have worked through thousands of tips, followed up on missing women cases, collected thousands of pieces of evidence and eliminated potential suspects.

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma), along with seven other members of the Washington state delegation have signed a letter to the chairmen of the Congressional appropriations committees that in the final version of the supplemental appropriations bill extending TRICARE medical insurance coverage to National Guard and Reserve members who are unemployed or otherwise have no employer-provided health insurance coverage.

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) announced today that he will oppose the Iraq supplemental funding legislation.

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) announced today his support in a letter circulating through the House of Representatives for HR 3150 and S. 1634 which are amendments to the supplemental appropriations bill which would offset the spending request to fund operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

To pay for the $87 billion price tag of the request, this proposal would reduce the tax breaks given to the wealthiest one percent of Americans, those whose adjusted income is over $300,000 per year or more.