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Smith Statement on Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act

Congressman Adam Smith made the following statement regarding his opposition to the Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act:

April 28, 2016

“Terrorism is about spreading fear. As we combat violent extremism and the spread of dangerous propaganda, we must recognize that hateful ideology originates both overseas and at home. Since the 9/11 attacks, domestic terrorists have killed more people in the United States than foreign terrorist organizations. Numerous domestic terror acts, including those at the Seattle Jewish Federation, Planned Parenthood in Colorado, Oklahoma City, the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin and the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, have made clear that violent extremism is not limited to a single ideology, nor does it always breed on foreign soil.

“Earlier this week, the House of Representatives considered H.R. 4820, the Combating Terrorist Recruitment Act. Notably, this bill weakens national security by excluding domestic terror organizations from its focus and ignoring that terrorists are inspired by a broad number of religious, political and ideological beliefs.

“Our national security approach must build people-to-people ties, address the root causes of extremism and empower local partners to prevent violent extremism, both here and abroad. In the Puget Sound region, we have seen the damage that hateful and violent rhetoric inflicts on our local community centers and places of worship. We must remain vigilant in our fight against terror networks that seek to do us harm. By opening our eyes to the realities of foreign and domestic terror networks, we can work together to build a more just and peaceful society as we keep America safe.” 

Smith, Scott, and Cummings Oppose NDAA Amendment to Reward Pervasive Violators of Employment, Non-Discrimination, and Safety Laws with New Government Contracts

April 26, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Members Adam Smith, Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, and Elijah Cummings of, respectively, the House Armed Services Committee, the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform issued the following statements today after learning about forthcoming efforts to ban implementation of the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order via an amendment in the FY 2017 Defense Authorization Act.

The Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order would require defense contractors who have committed serial violations of employment, safety, and minimum wage laws or serial discrimination based on race, gender, pregnancy, disability, or veterans status to disclose that they have done so to the government when applying for new contracts.

Ranking Member Smith made the following statement:

“We should not be making it easier for companies that violate labor, safety, or gender and racial equity laws to acquire government contracts. It is common sense that when the Defense Department or Nuclear Security Administration is choosing who it will work with, it should have sufficient information about any violations to know what it is getting into. Our labor and nondiscrimination laws exist to uphold the rights of Americans, and we need to stand up for those rights instead of trying to hide evidence that they have been violated. I will oppose any efforts to include language overriding this executive order in this National Defense Authorization Act.”

Ranking Member Scott made the following statement:

“We are deeply concerned about possible amendments to limit the application of the Fair Pay and Safe Workplace Executive Order as part of the Fiscal Year 2017 Defense Authorization Act. This EO, when implemented, will improve the information available to contracting officers to identify companies which engage in repeated, willful or pervasive violations of employment, non-discrimination, labor, or workplace safety laws. Congress should reject any attempts to provide taxpayer dollars to companies who repeatedly flaunt federal workplace laws or deprive workers of their labor and civil rights.”

Ranking Member Cummings made the following statement:

“It is extremely troubling that House Republicans are trying to pass a measure that would have the effect of encouraging corporate misconduct. The President’s Executive Order establishes a fair and consistent process to ensure that federal contractors pay their workers what they earn, maintain a safe working environment, and do not discriminate on the bases of race, gender, or disability. This is simple common sense, and it should be celebrated and enforced, not criticized and overturned.”

Congressman Adam Smith Statement on Earth Day

Congressman Adam Smith released the following statement on Earth Day:

April 22, 2016

“Earth Day is an annual reminder that each individual has a role to play in protecting and preserving our environment. The Pacific Northwest has a proud history of supporting the environmental movement and I am honored to represent a district that truly understands the importance of curbing climate change and caring for our environment.

“I believe that we must continue to fight for communities, both around the world and here in the U.S., who are the most vulnerable to unpredictable temperatures, rising sea levels, and extreme weather. In addition to environmental and structural damages inflicted by extreme climate events, people with lower incomes often experience more negative health effects than other groups, making climate change a public health crisis. As the second-largest emitter, with only about five percent of the world’s population, it is the responsibility of the U.S. to lead by example in reducing carbon emissions and supporting renewable energy technologies.

“Earth Day 2016 is an opportunity for the international community to come together to combat the very real threat of climate change. April 22, 2016 marks the first day that the Paris Agreement formed at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will be open for signature. This agreement calls for global cooperation on addressing the causes and effects of climate change. We must take decisive action now to reduce the impacts of global climate change in order to protect our planet for the generations to come.” 

Congressman Smith Supports President Obama’s Executive Actions on Immigration

Washington D.C. – Congressman Smith released the following statement in support of the President’s executive actions on immigration:

April 15, 2016

“In November 2015, the President took legal and necessary executive action to reform our broken immigration system by expanding both the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In support of the President’s action, I joined members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus this morning on the steps of the Capitol. It is critical that we continue to show support for the President's lawful action, in advance of the Supreme Court's scheduled session on Monday, April 18, 2016 to hear oral arguments in the United States v. Texas case. 

“The President's common-sense immigration executive actions are authorized by existing laws passed by Congress. I have joined my colleagues in Congress in signing an Amicus Brief to the U.S. Supreme Court expressing that both DAPA and DACA are lawful. Once implemented, DAPA and DACA will be able to bring millions of families and children who are part of our communities and live in constant fear of deportation out of the shadows.”

Smith Statement on Equal Pay Day

Congressman Adam Smith released the following statement on Equal Pay Day:

April 12, 2016

“We must close the gender pay gap. Despite the many positive transformative changes in our nation’s workforce, women still get paid less for equal work and make 79 cents for every dollar earned compared to their male counterparts. This disparity particularly impacts women of color and cannot continue.

“Equal Pay Day symbolizes how much more the average woman in the United States must work to earn what a man earned in the previous year. Today marks these extra 103 days, a day where we recognize how much work remains to achieve pay equality. In addition to wage disparities, women are shut out of leadership and management roles far too often. As women continue to make up a growing percentage of our workforce, the gender wage gap is an increasing burden to working families and will limit our nation’s future economic success.

“As we recognize Equal Pay Day, we must continue fighting for policies that move us towards a fairer and more equal society. Congress must implement policies that address the wage gap, such as the Paycheck Fairness Act. I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation that would help ensure women are paid equally for equal work. We also must expand access to affordable child care and paid family leave that can further help women enter and remain in the workforce. When women succeed, America succeeds.” 

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