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Smith Hails Inclusion of Trade Adjustment Assistance Bill in Economic Recovery Package

February 13, 2009

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) today applauded the inclusion of legislation to expand and improve the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program in the Economic Recovery Package. The measure will extend TAA to service industry workers, increase funding for and improve access to training, health care, and income support, and create a program to address community-wide needs.

Smith worked closely with House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Senator Max Baucus during the last session of Congress in his efforts to expand TAA and other job training programs.  Congressman Smith introduced similar legislation to enhance TAA in the 108th, 109th and 110th Congresses.

“Improving the TAA program is more important now then ever before,” said Congressman Adam Smith. “The current economic crisis is accelerating the displacement of workers and we must help them adjust and refine their skill sets to advance their careers in this fluid and unpredictable job market.  While we cannot walk away from globalization, we must help provide a bridge between jobs - through training, support and healthcare - to help individuals transition to the jobs and career paths of the future.”

Congress created the TAA program in 1962 in response to the loss of jobs among hard-working Americans and to promote American competitiveness in the global economy.  TAA benefits have several components: training assistance, income support while in training, and interim health care support.  The program assists workers dislocated due to government policies that eliminated tariffs and other barriers to trade.  However, under current law, the program extends coverage only to workers in manufacturing and agricultural sectors, even though service-sector jobs also are increasingly moving overseas.

The Expansion of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program: 
Extends TAA to trade-affected service-sector workers and workers affected by offshoring or outsourcing to all countries, including China or India; 
Increases training funds available to states by 160 percent to $575 million per fiscal year;
Establishes a new TAA program for trade-affected communities;
Ensures automatic TAA eligibility for workers suffering from import surges and unfair trade;
Makes training, healthcare and reemployment TAA benefits more accessible and flexible, and improves the TAA for Firms and TAA for Farmers programs;  
Reauthorizes all TAA programs (which expired December 31, 2007) through December 31, 2010.

“Due to globalization our economy is rapidly transforming, and so must our policies to help displaced workers,” said Congressman Adam Smith. “Service-sector employees are also adversely affected by the changing economy and increasingly by the recent economic downturn. We must do everything we can to help them and all other displaced workers transition into the growing sectors of our economy.”

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Rep. Smith Appointed to Select Committee on Intelligence

February 5, 2009

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) was appointed to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The appointment will allow Smith to engage in deeper and broader oversight and policy development on a wide range of national security issues.

“It’s an honor to be appointed to the Intelligence Committee,” said Congressman Adam Smith. “I look forward to helping provide the intelligence community with the resources and tools they need to ensure our safety, as well as to conducting rigorous oversight to ensure our intelligence system works and that Americans’ basic freedoms are protected.”

Currently, Smith serves as Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities, in which he oversees America’s Special Operation Forces and their lead role in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency policy.  The appointment to the Intelligence Committee will bolster Smith’s ability to conduct comprehensive oversight and shape policy on these and other critical national security issues.

 HPSCI was created on July 14, 1977 to oversee intelligence and intelligence-related activities and programs, submit appropriate proposals for legislation and report to the House on intelligence-related activities and programs. 

 HPSCI has exclusive jurisdiction over the National Intelligence Program (NIP), the budget program for national-level intelligence programs, and all legislative activity affecting or relating to how the U.S. Government collects intelligence.  HPSCI shares responsibilities with the Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Judiciary, and Homeland Security and works in conjunction with the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel.  These inter-committee interactions are a vital means of coordination and essential to Unites States national security.

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REP. ADAM SMITH SUPPORTS LEGISLATION TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF UNINSURED CHILDREN

February 4, 2009

Rep. Adam Smith today joined a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives in support of the final version of legislation to provide health care to 11 million children.  The legislation is expected to reduce the number of uninsured children in Washington state by 42%. The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act was approved by a vote of 290-135. 

“The renewal of SCHIP is a significant win for Washington state. With unemployment rising, causing many to lose healthcare for their children and their families, this reauthorization is especially important,” said Congressman Adam Smith.  “I was proud to support efforts to increase the number of insured children in our state which will reduce the costly use of emergency rooms for primary care, and move us closer to providing every child in our nation with affordable, high-quality health care.”

Further, Congressman Smith was particularly pleased to see that the significant gains for Washington state were included in the today’s final version.  The legislation allows Washington state to use a larger portion of its federal allocation, above the 20% previously allowed, for SCHIP through FY 2013. When SCHIP was first implemented, Washington state already covered SCHIP-eligible children under our state’s Medicaid program.  Because of this it is considered a ‘qualifying’ state and has not been allowed to transfer kids from Medicaid to SCHIP or use the full federal allotment for SCHIP on the Medicaid kids. The bill will also provide matching funds to assist with the state’s planned expansion to cover kids up to 300% of the federal poverty line.

The bill was passed by the House today and signed into law by President Obama this evening.

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Rep. Adam Smith’s Statement on American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act

January 28, 2009

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) made the following statement after his vote in support of the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

“Our nation is in a serious economic crisis. Over the past two months, one million Americans have lost their jobs. Just this week, companies considered some of our nation’s most sturdy and economically sound announced plans to lay-off 55,000 more people. The number of people currently receiving unemployment benefits has reached its highest level since 1982 – approximately 4.6 million people. We need decisive action to confront the growing economic crisis, jumpstart our economy and lay a foundation for sustainable long-term growth.

“The Recovery Package is not a cure-all, but it will provide a jolt to our economy and begin to lay the foundation necessary for long-term sustainable economic growth. It upgrades our current infrastructure – such as roads, bridges, ports and schools – and invests in innovation infrastructure through broadband, health information technology and clean energy. It contains a middle class tax cut to provide families immediate relief and targeted tax cuts to help businesses grow and hire. It will provide a college tuition tax cut to help families pay for college and a homebuyer tax credit to stop home prices from plummeting.

“Earlier this month, I sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi and the Appropriations Committee Chairmen demanding that any stimulus package contain strong accountability and transparency measures. I am pleased to see that these requests have been incorporated into the stimulus package, including a dedicated website where citizens can track every penny and hold federal, state, and local officials accountable for their performance.

“With all that said, voting for a stimulus package of this size was still not easy, but it was necessary. I am deeply concerned about our growing deficit, but the threats to our economy are real and doing nothing was simply not an option. We must use this crisis as an opportunity to invest in our country and build a stronger and more prosperous future.”

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Congressman Smith’s Statement on Martin Luther King Day

January 19, 2009

Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) made the following statement in observance of Martin Luther King Day:

“We welcome this year's celebration of Martin Luther King Day with great pride. The swearing in of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States is the ultimate tribute to the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a milestone in our quest for racial equality. We have made great strides, and few moments will remind us of how far we have come than the swearing in of the first African American president. So, as we reflect today on the great life of Dr. King, let us also reflect on how far we have come.  Let us mark this moment as the time when we became a more tolerant and passionate country where all men are created equal and judged by the content of their character and merit of their works, not the color of their skin.”

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