News

U.S. Reps. Adam Smith (WA-09) and Mike Honda (CA-15) today submitted a letter to Thomas F. Gimble, Acting Inspector General for the Department of Defense, requesting a quick completion of the investigation into the Army's treatment of Captain James Yee. Yee was arrested in 2003 on espionage charges and held in solitary confinement for 76 days, only to be released and honorably discharged from service.

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) today issued the following statement on the upcoming one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina devastating the Gulf Coast:

"One year after Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast, New Orleans and the surrounding region remain in shambles, and more must be done to help storm survivors rebuild their shattered lives.

U.S. Reps. Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) and Norm Dicks (D-Belfair) introduced legislation this week to authorize $38 million for a new nursing care home at the VA's American Lake facility in Lakewood, Washington. The new home would replace the current facility, which the VA has cited for seismic and other safety risks.

"The American Lake home is unsafe and the veterans there are at risk," said Rep. Smith. "These brave veterans have served our nation proudly and our now some of the most frail and vulnerable among us. We owe it to them to fix this problem."

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris (WA-05) today offered a bipartisan amendment to H.R. 4157, the Health Information Technology Promotion Act of 2005. The amendment allows for the creation of a demonstration project that will provide a more efficient and effective system for managing disease by using health information technology on disease management for the Medicaid population. The amendment was agreed to by voice vote and was included in the final bill that passed by a vote of 270-148. The bill will now be sent to conference.

Today, U.S. Rep. Adam Smith expressed disappointment with a resolution considered in the House regarding Iraq and the war on terrorism. The non-binding resolution expressed the House of Representatives' support for American troops and commitment to achieving success in Iraq and the war on terrorism. While Smith ultimately voted in favor of the resolution, he decried the inadequacy of the measure and the Congress' failure to address the ongoing challenges in Iraq.

Congressman Adam Smith voted against legislation today to provide $94.5 billion in emergency supplemental funds for Iraq, Afghanistan, and Gulf Coast rebuilding.

"I fully support our troops and I believe we must assist the hurricane victims on the Gulf Coast, but Congress cannot keep rubber-stamping these spending bills while the Bush administration and the Republican-controlled Congress utterly fail in their oversight of the spending," said Smith.

Today, U.S. Representative Adam Smith was pleased to vote for H.R. 5522, the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill for FY 2007. While not perfect, the bill increases funding to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria, and to assist developing countries through Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). It also provides critical funds for humanitarian relief in Sudan and more focused assistance for trade capacity building.

Today, U.S. Rep. Adam Smith along with House Ways and Means Ranking Member Charles B. Rangel requested the Comptroller General of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate and report to Congress on several aspects of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. Created in 1962, the TAA program helps workers who lost their jobs due to international competition learn new skills through worker retraining programs and respond to changing realities in the global environment.