News

Press Releases

Rep. Smith Statement on Passing of Secretary Norman Mineta

May 4, 2022

SEATTLE, WA – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement on the passing of Norman Mineta, former Democratic Congressman and the first Asian American Cabinet member in history.
 
“Yesterday, we lost Norman Mineta, a dedicated public servant, and a trailblazer for Asian Americans. Arising from the dark chapter of Japanese American internment, Mineta went on to serve the United States in countless ways. After serving in the U.S. Army, Mineta began his tenure in California State politics, eventually earning a seat in Congress, where he represented his district for 20 years. While in Congress, Mineta co-founded the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Mineta later became the first Asian American to hold a Cabinet position when he was appointed as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Afterwards, he became the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, during which he led our nation with courage and decisiveness in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. A defining point of his career, Mineta pioneered efforts to establish the Transportation Security Administration, making our nation safer and more secure. Mineta’s career is a story of tireless public service, and our country is surely better off because of his many contributions. As we mourn this tremendous loss, we remember a man of integrity, drive, and compassion. My thoughts are with his family and friends as they grieve his passing.”
 
###

Rep. Smith Announces Senior Staff Transitions

May 2, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement, announcing the departure of his longtime Chief of Staff, Shana Chandler, and other senior staff changes.

“Shana is a dedicated public servant who has worked for the people of Washington’s Ninth for more than 25 years, starting her career as an executive assistant and rising to the role of Chief of Staff. I first met Shana shortly after being elected to Congress, and she has worked alongside me ever since. In 2007, Shana became Chief of Staff and has led our office with integrity, ambition, and relentless commitment to the people of Washington’s Ninth.” said Representative Smith. “The successes of our office are in no small part due to Shana’s tireless work as a leader and mentor to the whole staff – both in the capital and in our district. I am eternally grateful for the contributions she has made to our office, our district, and our country. Although her departure will be deeply felt, we wish her all the best in her future endeavors and look forward to seeing what more she will accomplish for our country.”

In addition to Chandler’s departure, the following staff changes will go into effect on May 6:

  • Sarah Servin, currently Deputy Chief of Staff and District Director, will assume the role of Chief of Staff; and
  • Glenn Carpenter, currently Deputy District Director, will assume the role of District Director.
Representative Smith continued, “I am thrilled that Sarah will be stepping into the role of Chief. Sarah has been a member of our team for nearly six years, and I am confident she will bring to the position her extensive expertise, passion, and dedication. Under her leadership, the staff will continue their work to strengthen our community and advance progressive policies that will benefit Americans here at home and across the country. I extend my gratitude and congratulations to Sarah and the other members of our staff who are taking on new roles and furthering their commitment to delivering real results for the people of the Ninth District.”

###

Reps. Smith and Bush Lead Letter to House Appropriations Committee Requesting $100 Million for Crisis Response Teams

April 26, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.) sent a letter with their colleagues to House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations Chair DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger requesting $100 million be included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 appropriations bill for the creation and expansion of alternative crisis response teams. Representative Adam Smith released the following statement after the letter was transmitted.

“Encouraging the use of behavioral health professionals to respond to mental health crisis situations improves the quality of crisis response and strengthens public safety by providing long term solutions to mental health and substance use issues,” the members wrote.

“The overwhelming majority of 911 calls involve mental health and substance use incidents, neighbor disputes, nuisance complaints, and requests for wellness checks that require appropriately trained, unarmed behavioral health professionals. Both the police and policing reform advocates often assert that specialized service providers—such as social workers, paramedics, and peer support counselors—are better equipped to handle such situations than armed officers,” wrote the members. “For some local governments, however, establishing and growing crisis response teams is cost prohibitive given the resources it takes to cover training, personnel, and equipment. Additional federal funding could go a long way in offsetting costs and spurring growth of these programs across the country.”

“Existing 911 response limited to police, fire, or EMT services have been overwhelmed and simply do not meet the needs of the communities they serve. A focus on a holistic public safety approach centered on the needs of communities is long overdue,” the members concluded.

A full copy of the letter can be found here.

###

Rep. Smith Applauds President Biden’s Earth Day Actions

April 22, 2022

SEATTLE, WA – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement after President Biden signed an Executive Order, which will protect America’s old-growth forests by creating a cohesive strategy across the federal government and fighting wildfires with data, combat global deforestation and coordinate foreign assistance, and direct the first national nature assessment in the history of the United States.
 
“I have said time and again that climate change is the greatest existential threat we face as a country. We simply have no time to waste, and the President’s action today represents an important step in our fight against climate change by leveraging the benefits of old-growth forests. The EO will help put us on a path to promote forest resiliency and enhance our ability to prevent and fight wildfires, which have had devastating consequences in the Pacific Northwest. But keeping forests in the United States healthy isn’t enough alone – this EO reflects the need for the U.S. government to coordinate with our partners around the world to put an end to global deforestation. As we make the transition to a truly green economy, it is critical that we utilize every tool available to combat climate change – today’s executive order does just that by enlisting the help of nature in our fight to preserve the planet.”

###

USDOT Awards More Than $369 Million to Strengthen Washington State’s Public Transit Network

April 6, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced the distribution of more than $20 billion for Fiscal Year 2022 to strengthen public transit across the country, including over $379 million for Washington State, representing the largest investment in public transit in our country’s history.

“Thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Washington State will receive $369,533,187 in funding to distribute to local public transit agencies across the state to repair, modernize, and expand our public transit network – a major win for Washingtonians. This funding will help connect communities throughout the region and make it easier for people to get where they need to go.

“As the Puget Sound Region continues to experience explosive growth, this funding will be especially important to expanding public transit to every corner of our state, so that all members of our community have access to safe, reliable, and convenient transportation.

“This funding will also allow our state to invest in clean energy technology to power our public transit network, an important step in combatting the climate crisis. Public transit agencies will now have additional resources at their disposal to assemble electric and zero-emissions fleets that will reduce pollution and help to decarbonize the transportation sector to make our communities and our planet healthier.

“I am proud to see the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law deliver major investments like this to states across the country and I commend President Biden and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg for taking action to advance the strength and resiliency of our communities.”

###

« First < Prev Next > Last »