Press Releases

"It is a privilege to see young students, like our local Congressional Award Medal recipients, demonstrate personal initiative and a sincere commitment to bettering Puget Sound communities. I look forward to hearing about the accomplishments of these young leaders in the future. Their teachers, mentors, parents, and communities should all be incredibly proud of their accomplishments.

"On the 52nd anniversary of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), we celebrate one of our country's most important civil rights laws. As we remember this landmark legislation, we must also denounce the Supreme Court's 2013 Shelby County v. Holder ruling. This decision gutted portions of the VRA, allowing states with a history of voter discrimination the autonomy to re-implement discriminatory voting restrictions. In response to the Shelby v. Holder case, I have cosponsored the Voting Rights Advancement Act.

"The United States has a proud history built on our founding as a nation of immigrants. Our existing immigration system is in dire need of reform, but the deeply prejudicial RAISE Act the President has endorsed is not the solution. This detestable proposal would slash our legal immigration program in half and keep families apart through dramatically altering our current family-based immigration system to a so-called merit-based program. The bill would also deny asylum to tens of thousands of refugees fleeing dangerous conditions and persecution.

"We need to provide for more environmentally responsible and economically sound management of our public lands," said Congressman Adam Smith. "As we look for sustainable solutions to our fiscal challenges, the Rural Economic Vitalization Act provides a mechanism to restore our public lands while providing economic opportunities. This legislation will benefit the American taxpayer while simultaneously protecting our environment."

"Today, I voted against the Intelligence Authorization Act because of Congress' lack of progress in negotiating reforms to, and increasing protections included in, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), as well as the rushed manner in which the bill was considered by the U.S. House of Representatives. After attempting to bring the legislation up outside of regular order earlier this week, the House Republican leadership ultimately brought the bill to the House Floor today in a format that still did not allow for any amendments.

"The "Security Minibus" appropriations bill the House is currently debating is completely disconnected from the realities that our country faces and the spending choices we must make. This spending package includes funding for the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Legislative Branch, Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers, agencies of the Department of Interior, and several independent agencies.

"The Defense Department should not be providing military equipment to civilian law enforcement agencies until we can be sure the program is capable of preventing dangerous items from falling into the wrong hands. The transfer of ‘controlled property' under the 1033 program should be suspended until DLA fully implements the control measures that GAO has recommended, and makes its own planned changes to improve the oversight, management, and control of the program," said Congressman Smith.

"This announcement is an unwarranted and disgraceful attack on men and women who have been bravely serving their country. These service members are defending the United States around the world as we speak, and they have long done so with distinction. To prevent transgender people from joining the military and to push out those who have devoted their lives to this country would be ugly and discriminatory in the extreme.