Press Releases

Congressman Adam Smith today admonished the decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to grant a conditional 404 permit to the Port of Seattle to build a third runway at Seatac International Airport.

Earlier this week, the president signed the FY 2003 National Defense Authorization Act into law, providing approximately $393 billion for the nation's defense programs. While concerned over the failure to deliver on the nation's promises to veterans with this bill, Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) has praised the Act's inclusion of an extension of the time limit for use of Montgomery G.I. Bill (MGIB) benefits - increasing access to education for the U.S. military.

Tomorrow, Wednesday December 4, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Representative Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) will meet with local elected officials and representatives of the Lakehaven Utility District to celebrate congressional passage of Cantwell and Smith's legislation to improve the wastewater systems in south King County and parts of Pierce County. The President is expected to sign this legislation into law later this week.

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) today congratulated the City of Fife on securing a $20,000 grant from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Secure Our Schools program at the Department of Justice. The grant is intended to support efforts to improve security at schools and on school grounds, providing up to 50 percent of the total cost for municipalities to install metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other equipment to help deter crime.

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) announced today that Northwest Housing Development in Sumner was awarded a grant of $1,271,600 through the Rural Development agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help low-income families build homes in rural areas.

Today, Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) awarded 17-year-old Caroline White of Lakewood the Congressional Award Bronze Medal.

The Congressional Award provides a unique opportunity for young people to set and achieve personally challenging goals that build character and foster community service, personal development and citizenship. All young people are equally able to earn the Congressional Award, because goals are set based on individual interest, need and ability. A young person is not selected to receive the award; he or she earns it.

At the end of last week, both the Senate and the House of Representatives provided for the extension of unemployment benefits. However, the House extension is only for five weeks while the Senate version is 13 weeks. With this discrepancy still unresolved, around December 28th, 45,400 unemployed workers in Washington state will have their benefits cut off. The only way to extend unemployment past its current deadline is to have the House pass the Senate's package today before adjourning today until January.

Early this morning the U.S. Senate passed Sen. Maria Cantwell's (D-Wash.) and Rep. Adam Smith's (D-Wash.) Lakehaven Water Reclamation legislation which will improve the capacity and reliability of wastewater systems in south King County and parts of Pierce County. The legislation is headed to the President's desk for signature.