News

Press Releases

Rep. Smith Statement on House Passage of the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act

May 19, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7688, the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, which would help hold oil companies accountable and address high gas prices across the country.

“Gas prices around the world have spiked due to Putin’s immoral war against Ukraine, and Americans have seen prices jump at the pump. Meanwhile, oil companies are reporting record profits while they rip off consumers. In response, the House today passed the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act, which would protect consumers from unfair price gouging. This legislation would grant the President the ability to declare an 'energy emergency proclamation' and make it illegal to sell consumer fuels at an excessive or exploitative price during the emergency period – preventing oil companies from cashing in on market volatility in times of crisis.

“The energy crisis caused by Putin’s war also serves as a grave reminder that as long as our economy relies on big oil, we are at the mercy of global oil markets. Increased domestic oil production will not offset spikes in the global price of oil and therefore is not a real solution. We must instead prioritize bold steps to expand our use of renewables to address climate change, grow our economy, and support our national security.

“At a time when American families are struggling to pay high prices, it’s the duty of Congress to step in and take action to alleviate some of their burden. I am proud of today’s action, and I look forward to continuing to work with the administration to hold corporations accountable and to lower prices for American families.”

###

Rep. Smith Introduces the Aviation Impacted Communities Act to Bring Relief to Residents Near Airports and Air-Flight Pathways

May 19, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement upon the introduction of his bill, the Aviation Impacted Communities Act, which would help address aviation-related noise and emissions pollution experienced by communities near airports and air-flight pathways.

“Across the country, communities near airports and air-flight pathways are burdened with high concentrations of noise and emissions pollution, which can result in serious public health and environmental consequences. Far too often, these consequences disproportionately fall on low-income communities and communities of color,” said Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash). “Residents in aviation impacted communities – like my constituents who call Washington’s Ninth District home – should not be left to deal with these challenges on their own. The Aviation Impacted Communities Act would allow residents to bring their concerns directly to the Federal Aviation Administration, creating a platform to develop effective solutions to mitigate the harmful effects of commercial aviation-related activity in an equitable way.”

“Rep. Smith's aviation impacted communities will help our beloved Seattle Beacon Hill neighborhood and other affected neighborhoods. We are under the flight path. Airplanes fly over us as often as every 90 seconds on the average. Seventy percent of inbound flights go over our heads. The noise is disruptive and bad for our health. There are many poor families including elderly who live in our Beacon Hill neighborhood. This bill will help relieve this unjust burden,” said Estela Ortega, Executive Director, El Centro de la Raza

Background

In recent years, some communities have come to experience an increased and disproportionate share of noise and other environmental impacts stemming from commercial aviation. The concerns of residents of these increasingly impacted areas are not being adequately addressed. 

The Aviation Impacted Communities Act seeks to help localities, neighborhoods, and community members to more effectively and productively engage with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This legislation would require that the FAA interface directly with, and be responsive to, residents and locally nominated leaders on issues of aviation noise and environmental impacts. Through the creation of community boards, affected areas will be empowered to effectively work toward achieving relief from the impacts of civil and commercial aviation.

The Aviation Impacted Communities Act will:

  • Establish a new “aviation impacted communities” designation for areas suffering from excessive noise or environmental impacts.
  • Establish a process to bring together airport operators, designated community leaders, public health and environmental experts, and the FAA to discuss solutions.
  • Require that appropriate FAA representatives attend community board meetings and respond to community questions and concerns about issues involving aviation or the FAA when requested.
  • Allow communities to petition the FAA for comprehensive impact studies and require that the FAA develop action plans to respond to communities’ concerns and the recommendations for mitigation provided in the impact studies.
  • Expand the availability of mitigation funding for aviation impacted communities outside of the current 65 day-night average sound level (DNL) contours.
  • Provides grants for noise mitigation in a designated community for residences, hospitals, nursing homes, adult or child day care centers, schools, places of worship, or other impacted facilities identified in a community assessment.
  • Establish a sustainable ongoing revenue stream for relief efforts/noise insulation in the bill through funding from increases in revenue to the Airport and Airways Trust Fund.

The burden of airplane noise and environmental impacts should not fall disproportionately on any single group, neighborhood, or community. This bill will help to bring some relief by streamlining the FAA’s engagement processes, allowing residents to directly bring their concerns to the FAA and airport operators, comprehensively assessing the effects of aviation in a given area, and seek mitigation for those impacts.

The Aviation Impacted Communities Act is endorsed by El Centro de la Raza.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

###

Rep. Smith Submits 15 Community Project Funding Requests for Fiscal Year 2023

May 18, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today announced the 15 community project funding requests he submitted to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 appropriations bill.
 
“I am committed to fighting for the people of Washington’s Ninth District and today I am thrilled to announce the 15 community project funding requests that I submitted for consideration in the FY 2023 appropriations bill. These organizations are doing important work in our community to empower the most vulnerable among us and make the Ninth District a better place to live for all residents. The funding will help tackle some of our region’s most pressing challenges including housing, health care, child care, education and workforce development, small business development, and public safety. Importantly, the projects focus on investments in underserved communities, including low-income individuals and families, immigrants, refugees, Black, Indigenous, and people of color, women and children, and seniors.  I am proud to build on the success of my FY 2022 requests to help combat the inequitable access to services and resources facing many communities.
 
“The appropriations process demonstrates the positive role government can play in our lives by directly investing in the success of communities across the country. I am grateful to the incredible organizations in my district for their work to uplift individuals, families, and neighborhoods and their unwavering commitment to strengthening Washington’s Ninth District.”
 
See below for the full list of Rep. Smith’s community project funding requests. Submitting projects to the House Appropriations Committee is the first step in the process and does not guarantee they will be funded.
 
Find more information about the FY 2023 Community Project Funding Requests, including project descriptions, here.
 
El Centro de la Raza - Pattison’s West Community Campus Property Acquisition - $5.25 Million
Federal Way
 
Somali Health Board – Somali Community Cultural Innovation Hub - $4 Million
Rainier Valley, Seattle
 
Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Employment for Women (ANEW) – Pre-Apprenticeship Commercial Driver’s License Program - $675,000
South King County
 
Plymouth Housing – Eastgate Permanent Supportive Housing and Health Clinic - $1.3 Million
Bellevue
 
Friends of Little Saigon – Little Saigon Landmark - $4 Million
Little Saigon, Chinatown - International District, Seattle
 
Low Income Housing Institute – Skyway Affordable Housing and Early Learning Center - $1.5 Million
Skyway (unincorporated King County)
 
African Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest – African Business Innovation Center (ABIC) – $2,550,000
Tukwila
 
Sea Mar Community Health Centers – Kent Medical Clinic and Affordable Housing Mixed Use Facility - $3 Million
Kent
 
Central District Community Preservation and Development Authority (CD CPDA) – McKinney Center Capital Project - $1 Million
Central District, Seattle
 
Southeast Seattle Senior Foundation – Southeast Seattle Affordable Housing and Home Ownership - $750,000
Rainier Valley, Seattle 
 
Congolese Integration Network - Washington Refugee Healing Center – $500,000
SeaTac
 
UTOPIA – Mapu Maia Clinic - $500,000
Kent
 
Public Defender Association – Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program - $1.5 Million
Chinatown-International District and Southeast Seattle
 
City of Renton – Logan Place Market - $1.5 Million       
Renton
 
Cowlitz Indian Tribe – Cowlitz Tribal Health Clinic – $2,601,858
Tukwila
###

Rep. Smith Statement on House Passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022

May 17, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.) released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7309, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022, which would reauthorize and strengthen our nation’s workforce development programs.

“I have long been a strong supporter of education and workforce training programs in Washington’s Ninth District and across the country because I know how important they are for expanding access to quality, high-paying jobs. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act would make long-overdue investments in our nation’s workforce training programs, helping to advance equal economic opportunity for every person in America,” said Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.). “Workforce training programs grow our skilled workforce pipeline and build a stronger economy. As such, it is vital that we make workforce training programs as accessible as possible by reducing their financial barriers. By focusing on providing supportive services to individuals, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act will increase access to these programs for underserved communities and make them more equitable for all individuals. I am thrilled that my amendment, which would help ensure that meals and other food assistance is provided to youth program participants, was included in the bill. I am proud of the House’s action today to move this bill forward and I look forward to working with the Senate to get this bill on the President’s desk.”

A fact sheet of the bill can be found here.

###

ICYMI: HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra Visits Washington State to Promote Mental Health and Well-Being

May 11, 2022

SEATTLE, WA – On Friday, May 6, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra traveled to Washington State, where he joined Representative Adam Smith (WA-09), Senator Patty Murray (WA), Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Representative Kim Schrier (WA-08) for a tour of Crisis Connections, which will be a key partner in the transition to the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Following the tour, a roundtable discussion was held to discuss HHS’ work to support adults and teens in crisis.

Secretary Becerra, Rep. Smith, and Rep. Schrier later toured Renton High School’s school-based health clinic, operated by HealthPoint, to promote the urgent need for all teens and eligible youth to get their annual vaccinations, including those eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, to keep schools open, healthy, and safe.

Rep. Adam Smith issued the following statement following Secretary Becerra’s visit.

“We are currently experiencing a national mental health crisis that has been fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday’s event was a great opportunity to hear directly from members of our community about the mental health and wellness challenges they’re facing right now and the solutions we can deploy to address these challenges. I appreciated the chance to learn more about the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which will be crucial to diverting 911 calls related to mental and behavioral health crises. 1 in every 10 calls for police response involves a person suffering from a mental illness, and in most places around the U.S., operators have no choice but to dispatch police officers to every scene, regardless of whether they are equipped or trained to handle these situations. That's why I authored the 911 Diversion to Unarmed Personnel Act, which would provide funding for unarmed crisis response teams that divert nonviolent 911 calls to specialized service providers who are better equipped to handle these calls. Members of our community will be able to call 988 if they are witnessing or experiencing a mental health crisis and 988 will work in conjunction with 911 to ensure that trained professionals – such as social workers, paramedics, and peer support counselors – respond to the call. In order to properly address our nation’s mental health crisis, we must deploy resources across the country to ensure that adults and young people have the tools they need to pursue safe, happy, and healthy lives and 988 will be critical to this mission.

“I also participated in a tour of Renton High School’s school health clinic and had the chance to discuss with Secretary Becerra and Representative Schrier the urgent need for all teens and eligible youth to get their annual vaccinations, including those eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines are essential to keeping schools safely open – and school-based health clinics are crucial to making sure that kids have access to vaccines, regardless of their circumstances. In Congress, I am a strong advocate for funding community health centers and school-based health centers, which are the backbone of health care for hundreds of thousands of people in the 9th District. Thanks to funding from the American Rescue Plan, Health Point recently received $200,000 from HHS to expand upon the vital work they're doing. During the FY 2022 appropriations process, I also successfully secured $350,000 for the new Family First Community Center Health Clinic in Renton, operated by Health Point, which will bring quality health and wellness programs to the community and will eliminate many of the transportation and financial barriers to accessing health care currently experienced by low-income families in the Cascade and Benson Hill neighborhood.

“I’m grateful to Secretary Becerra for prioritizing Washington state in the National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health and I applaud the Biden-Harris administration for taking action to tackle our nation’s mental health crisis. I also extend my gratitude to health care professionals in Washington’s Ninth District and across the country for their tireless work to lead our communities through this crisis and advance effective solutions to address mental health and wellness challenges. I look forward to my continued work with the administration and the incredible partners on the ground in my community to help individuals and families to live safer, healthier, and happier lives.”

View social content about the the 988 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline here.
Read an op-ed I wrote for the Seattle Times about the need to reform police response and the success that 911 diversion programs could bring to communities across the country here.
View social content about the mental health roundtable here.
View social content about the importance of school-based health clinics here.

###

« First < Prev Next > Last »