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Rep. Smith Statement on the Bipartisan Budget Agreement

May 31, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Budget Agreement.
 
“Tonight, I voted to advance the Bipartisan Budget Agreement – a deal that will save our economy from a devastating default on our debt. The Bipartisan Budget Agreement prevents the worst possible economic crisis while rejecting Republicans’ most extreme demands to slash crucial programs for children and families.
 
“We were always going to need to negotiate next year’s budget – and that’s what we did. With the House and Senate divided, that’s never an easy job. House Republicans chose to make it even more difficult by taking the debt ceiling hostage and willingly risking the collapse of our economy. These negotiations showed us once again the contrast between the recklessness of House Republicans and the steadfast leadership of President Biden and his administration.
 
“Democrats were able to protect critical services for education, health care, and housing, safeguard veterans’ health care, fend off Republican efforts to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and revert spending back to Fiscal Year 2022 levels. The deal does not reflect Republican attempts to reverse President Biden and Congressional Democrats’ major victories from the past two years, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, the PACT Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act’s corporate minimum tax, prescription drug, and clean energy provisions.
 
“The bill represents a compromise, which means not everyone gets what they want. I am disappointed in certain measures in the bill related to expanded work requirements for vital nutrition and assistance programs, rescissions of IRS and COVID-19 funding, and harmful environmental provisions that have nothing to do with the national budget.
 
“House Republicans were willing to tank the entire U.S. and global economy, which would have had a devastating impact on the livelihoods of millions of individuals and families across the country. President Biden did the responsible thing by cutting a deal that prevents a devastating default on our debt, averts a government shutdown, and avoids the worst outcomes for everyday Americans.”
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Rep. Smith Statement on Memorial Day

May 29, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement in recognition of Memorial Day.
 
“On Memorial Day, we solemnly honor the men and women in the armed forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The selfless service, sense of duty, and strength of courage of those who wear the uniform means every American and our country is more secure.
 
“We must never take for granted those willing to fight and die for our freedom and democratic ideals here at home and around the world, and we are reminded that our enduring gratitude should not only be expressed on this revered day.
 
“To all those who have laid their lives on the line for our country, and the loved ones of those who have served and paid the ultimate price, we say thank you today and always.”
  
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Rep. Smith Statement on Mental Health Awareness Month

May 26, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement regarding Mental Health Awareness Month.
 
“May is Mental Health Awareness Month – a time to have honest conversations about mental health and what we can do to find and advance solutions to the nationwide mental health crisis. It is estimated that more than one in five adults in the United States live with a mental health condition. It has taken me a long time to talk about publicly, but I have had my own struggles with mental health.
 
“For years I dealt with debilitating anxiety that made it hard to even get out of bed some days. After a long journey through our broken health care system, I eventually found something that worked for me. I am lucky enough to have decent health insurance and the means to afford out-of-pocket mental health care when that was the best option – but that’s not the reality for most people. We simply must make mental health care more affordable and accessible for everyone who is struggling.
 
“I have and will continue to push for solutions to the mental health crisis in Congress. That’s why I recently introduced the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers Act, which would fund behavioral health crisis care centers that are a hub for accessing health care and wraparound support services for people experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis. I have also long advocated for increased funding for mental health care – from Community Project Funding for Seattle’s Health One to expanding behavioral health clinics – we need to make it easier for people get the mental health services they need.
 
“As we close out Mental Health Awareness Month, I want to encourage everyone to continue having honest conversations so that we can defeat the harmful stigma surrounding mental health that stands in the way of people getting the help they need. For anyone who is struggling, reach out for help. I believe that recovery is possible for everyone.”
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More information about the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers Act can be found here.
Learn more about Rep. Smith’s work on health care here.

Rep. Smith Introduces Package of Legislation to Make it Easier for Immigrants to Enter the Health Care Workforce

May 25, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement after introducing the Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health Act, the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Assistance Act, and the Professional’s Access to Health (PATH) Workforce Integration Act. These three bills would help immigrants enter health care professions, including primary care physicians, nurses, behavioral health professionals, and technicians, and alleviate the shortage of workers that has taken a toll on our health care system.
 
“Our health care workforce is severely strained after years of grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. We desperately need more health care workers and there are potentially millions of people here in the U.S. looking for jobs in the health care field but face significant unnecessary barriers. The package of legislation I’m introducing today would make it easier for immigrants to enter the health care workforce by providing funding for training, licensing, certification, and case management services and reduce licensing and certification hurdles for immigrants who come to the U.S. with previous health care experience,” said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash). “These three bills would pave pathways to high-quality, good-paying jobs, reduce the shortage of health care workers, and help rebuild our health care system in the Ninth District and across the country.”
 
Statements of Support
 
“The U.S. faces critical health workforce shortages, while immigrant and refugee health workers continue to be disproportionately underemployed. Immigrant and refugee health workers have in-demand skills and are well-positioned to mitigate these employment gaps. We applaud Rep. Smith’s commitment to promoting inclusion and increasing access to quality care for communities across the U.S.” – Esther Benjamin, CEO and Executive Director, World Education Services (WES)
 
“We applaud Rep. Adam Smith for his leadership in introducing these important bills, which will promote pathways to health care professions for immigrant and refugee workers. There are at least 263,000 immigrants and refugees with health care backgrounds who are under- or unemployed in the U.S. It is critical that Congress passes the International Medical Graduate Assistance Act and the Immigrants in Allied Health Act to ensure more equitable access to health care professions while at the same time addressing looming health care staffing shortages.” – Mohamed Khalif, President, Washington Academy for International Medical Graduates
 
“The United States faces a growing shortage of healthcare professionals that will worsen in the coming decade. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants and refugees, including un- or underemployed professionals with international credentials, can help fill workforce gaps in our healthcare system if the government puts the right reforms and support in place. These three bills would help eliminate key barriers that prevent immigrants from entering the healthcare field in the United States. Upwardly Global applauds Rep. Smith for introducing this critical legislation package, and their efforts to help build a more equitable and resilient healthcare system.” – Jina Krause-Vilmar, President and CEO, Upwardly Global
 
“The workforce shortage across our healthcare system is at crisis levels. The demand for skilled, dedicated professionals in all fields has never been greater, yet employment barriers faced by our immigrant and refugee communities only exacerbate the problem instead of solving it. Opening up pathways for our immigrant neighbors to enter the healthcare fields they care about will make our communities healthier and will make our healthcare system more sustainable. International Community Health Services applauds Rep. Smith for this bold investment in our immigrant communities and our healthcare workforce.” – Kelli Nomura, Chief Executive Officer, International Community Health Services
 
“The vision of Nashi Immigrants Health Board is to understand, support and empower our Ukrainian and Russian speaking community and provide for a healthy future for “Nashi” (our community) through a lens of health equity and social justice. Nashi Immigrants Health Board is comprised of people from our community, and we know firsthand the barriers faced by immigrants with expertise in healthcare fields, preventing them from practicing their profession in the United States. Especially now, when we are facing a healthcare provider shortage, while seeking to diversify our healthcare workforce. These 3 bills, introduced by Rep. Smith, would allow for our community to have opportunities to receive healthcare from other members of the community who understand their language and culture, while also contributing skilled providers to our current workforce.” – Tamara Cyhan Cunitz, MN, RN, Executive Director, Nashi Immigrants Health Board

 
Background
 
The Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health Act would help immigrants, regardless of whether they have any previous health care experience, get the financial support they need to enter nursing and allied health careers including nursing, mental and behavioral health, and other health care professions.
A fact sheet about the Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health Act can be found here. The bill text can be found here.
 
The Immigrants in Nursing and Allied Health Act is endorsed by Afghan Cultural Society, Arkansas United, California Immigrants Resources Center, Chemeketa Community College, Chemeketa Community College, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS), Global Cleveland, IMPRINT Coalition, International Community Health Services, International Institute of Buffalo, Jewish Family Service of San Diego, La Casa de Amistad, Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, Médicos Unidos Venezuela-USA chapter, Nashi Immigrants Health Board, National Immigration Forum, National Skills Coalition, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, OneAmerica, Pars Equality Center, Los Angeles, Portland Refugee Support Group, Presidents’ Alliance  on Higher Education and Immigration, Restore Education, RUSA LGBTQ, Sea Mar Community Health Center, Seattle Indian Health Board, Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, Synergy Texas, Talent Beyond Boundaries, The Refugee Advocacy Lab, The Welcoming Center, Tiyya Foundation, Upwardly Global, US Together Inc., WA Allied Health Center of Excellence, Welcome Back Initiative, Welcoming City, and World Education Services.
 
The International Medical Graduate (IMG) Assistance Act would help reduce the barriers that international medical graduates face when trying to complete the necessary training and certification to receive a U.S. medical license.
A fact sheet about the IMG Assistance Act can be found here. The bill text can be found here.
 
The IMG Assistance Act is endorsed by Afghan Cultural Society, Arkansas United, California Immigrants Resources Center, Chemeketa Community College, Chemeketa Community College, Cicero Institute, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS), Global Cleveland, IMPRINT Coalition, International Community Health Services, International Institute of Buffalo, Jewish Family Service of San Diego, La Casa de Amistad, Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, Médicos Unidos Venezuela-USA chapter, Nashi Immigrants Health Board, National Immigration Forum, National Skills Coalition, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, One Refugee, OneAmerica, Pars Equality Center, Los Angeles, Portland Refugee Support Group, Restore Education, RUSA LGBTQ, Sea Mar Community Health Center, Seattle Indian Health Board, Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, Synergy Texas, Talent Beyond Boundaries, The Refugee Advocacy Lab, The Welcoming Center, Tiyya Foundation, Upwardly Global, US Together Inc., WA Allied Health Center of Excellence, Welcome Back Initiative, Welcoming City, and World Education Services.
 
The Professional’s Access to Health (PATH) Workforce Integration Act would offer training and counseling opportunities to internationally trained health professionals who are U.S. citizens, or immigrants legally residing in the U.S. while educating employers on the abilities and capacities of health professionals who have been educated overseas.
A fact sheet about the PATH Workforce Integration Act can be found here. The bill text can be found here.
 
The PATH Workforce Integration Act is endorsed by Afghan Cultural Society, Arkansas United, California Immigrants Resources Center, Chemeketa Community College, Chemeketa Community College, Cicero Institute, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS), Global Cleveland, IMPRINT Coalition, International Community Health Services, International Institute of Buffalo, Jewish Family Service of San Diego, La Casa de Amistad, Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, Médicos Unidos Venezuela-USA chapter, Nashi Immigrants Health Board, National Immigration Forum, National Skills Coalition, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, One Refugee, OneAmerica, Pars Equality Center, Los Angeles, Portland Refugee Support Group, Presidents’ Alliance  on Higher Education and Immigration, Restore Education, RUSA LGBTQ, Sea Mar Community Health Center, Seattle Indian Health Board, Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, Synergy Texas, Talent Beyond Boundaries, The Refugee Advocacy Lab, The Welcoming Center, Tiyya Foundation, Upwardly Global, US Together Inc., WA Allied Health Center of Excellence, Welcome Back Initiative, Welcoming City, and World Education Services.

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Rep. Smith Statement on Elections in Puntland

May 23, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) issued the following statement regarding the district council elections taking place in Puntland, Somalia on May 25.

“I look forward to seeing the historic direct elections take place in Puntland this week. I applaud the people of Puntland for their dedication to advancing their democratic commitments. The elections represent positive progress for reaching democratic aspirations in Puntland, other parts of Somalia, and the entire region and I encourage all stakeholders to ensure a peaceful election process. I am proud to represent a vibrant Somali community in the Ninth District and I commend their commitment to making these direct elections possible.”

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