Press Releases

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.”

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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.

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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.”

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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.”

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SEATTLE, WA – Representative Adam Smith (D-Wash.), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement after the United Nations announced a mediated, two-month truce between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis, who have been at war in Yemen for years.
 
“I am encouraged by the announcement of this two-month truce in the Yemen conflict. The Yemeni people have been suffering for years, living through one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. It is imperative that all parties to this conflict abide by the ceasefire. While this truce is a positive step, ending this war remains the ultimate goal. During these next two months – the first of which is the Holy Month of Ramadan – it is my hope that the negotiators will make progress towards a political compromise that will yield lasting peace in the region.” 
 
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