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Smith Statement on GAO Report on Iraq

September 5, 2007

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) issued the following statement on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report indicating the Iraqi government met only 3 of 18 benchmarks for adequate progress in Iraq:

“President Bush escalated our presence in Iraq under the premise that more troops would help stabilize Iraq and create ‘breathing space’ for political progress.  The GAO report indicates that the escalation has largely failed to achieve the President’s stated goals. 

“According to GAO, the Iraqis met only 3 of 18 benchmarks agreed to by the U.S. and the Iraqi government, including only 2 of 9 security benchmarks and 1 of 8 legislative benchmarks. 

“Further, the report tells us attacks against civilians per day in Iraq have not decreased over the past six months.  And, from March to August 2007, the number of Iraqi security units able to function independently decreased.

“Our occupation of Iraq is not achieving our stated goals and it comes at an enormous cost to our country.  We must begin to redeploy our troops from Iraq and chart a new direction that allows us to refocus on stopping the spread of terrorism in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and around the world.”

The GAO’s report can be found online at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d071195.pdf

Smith: Gonzales Tenure Destructive to the Interests of Our Country

August 27, 2007

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today issued the following statement in response to the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales:

"Alberto Gonzales was not up for the job of U.S. Attorney General, and I am pleased he announced his resignation.  I am disappointed the President did not act sooner to preserve the integrity of the Justice Department.

"Gonzales's divisive tenure has been destructive to the interests of our country.  Mr. Gonzales pushed to erode privacy rights through warrantless wiretapping.  He was deeply involved in the politically motivated firings of qualified U.S. attorneys.  When he testified before Congress on these and other matters, he gave inconsistent testimony and offered no satisfactory explanations for apparent contradictions of himself and other senior officials.  His actions undermined Americans' confidence in their Justice Department.

"Ultimately, however, the responsibility for the actions of senior administration officials rests with the President of the United States.  I urge President Bush to choose a nominee for this post with the highest integrity and a commitment to the protection of the rights of U.S. citizens."

Smith Rejects Overbroad Surveillance Bill

August 4, 2007

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) issued the following statement on Saturday regarding S. 1927, a bill that included changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act regarding warrantless wiretapping and other surveillance.  Smith voted against the measure which would threaten Americans’ Constitutional right to privacy.  The bill passed by a vote of 227 to 183.

“Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Admiral Mike McConnell informed Congress of a critical collection gap in our electronic surveillance capabilities allowed by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.  On Friday I voted for a bill to close that gap and make sure intelligence agencies have all of the tools they need to secure our country while protecting Americans’ constitutional right to privacy.

“Unfortunately, the President threatened to veto an approach that would have safeguarded our homeland and our Constitution.  Following the President’s threat, the bill did not pass.

“On Saturday, the House took up a much broader Senate-passed version that would give the President and Attorney General authority to conduct warrantless surveillance on Americans without meaningful judicial oversight.  This surveillance could be conducted as long as the surveillance ‘concerns’ people ‘reasonably believed to be outside the United States.’  The loose language in this bill sets an unacceptably low bar for protecting the privacy rights of American citizens.

“I voted against this bill. We absolutely must take action to stop terrorist attacks, but we can do so without sacrificing our most basic Constitutional rights and liberties.  Congress should correct this overreach when the bill expires in six months.”

 

Smith, Colleagues Chart a New Direction for U.S. Energy Policy

August 4, 2007

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and a majority of his colleagues in the House of Representatives passed an energy package on Saturday that will make our nation more secure, create new American jobs, reduce energy costs to consumers, and fight global warming. 

“We face serious security and environmental challenges that are tied to our dependence on oil and on foreign oil in particular.  These bills will help protect the environment, promote alternative energy sources grown right here in the United States, and help end our dependence on foreign oil supplies,” Smith said. 

H.R. 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act, passed by a vote of 241-172. 

H.R. 2776, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007, passed by a vote of 221 to 189.

Taken together, the bills approved by the House will:

  • Help reduce our dependence on foreign oil;
  • Make the largest investment in biofuels in history;
  • Repeal $23 billion in tax subsidies and royalty relief provisions for big oil companies;
  • Close loopholes that offer incentives for business to purchase gas-guzzling vehicles;
  • Support cutting edge-research and the development of new energy technologies;
  • Reduce emissions by as much as 10.4 billion tons through 2030 -- more than the annual emissions of all of the cars on the road in America today; and 
  • Call on the U.S. to re-engage and lead the global effort on a binding global warming agreement.

Smith, Colleagues Pass Measure to Ensure Troops Get Needed Recovery Time

August 2, 2007

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) today voted with a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives to ensure our troops have the time at home they need. The Ensuring Military Readiness Through Stability and Predictability Deployment Policy Act was approved by a vote of 229-194.

“Our local military families are under an enormous strain due to the length and number of deployments being required of them.  This bill will give them a chance to recover, reconnect, rest and train before they return to the battlefield,” Smith said. 

The legislation mandates minimum periods of rest and recuperation for units and members of regular and reserve components of our Armed Forces between deployments. The bill requires that units or members of a regular component of the Armed Forces be given an equivalent amount of time at home compared to the length of their deployment before returning to the theater.  National Guard and reservists would be home for three times the length of the deployments. 

The bill would allow the President to waive these requirements on an individual or unit-level basis if necessary to meet national security needs of the country, and would exempt special operations forces from the rest-time requirement.

The Administration’s failed policies in Iraq have depleted our military and put a tremendous strain on our troops. An estimated 250,000 soldiers in the Army and Marine Corps have served more than one tour in Iraq and each of the Army’s available active duty combat brigades served at least a 12-month tour in Iraq or Afghanistan. This spring, the Defense Secretary announced that all active duty Army soldiers would have their tours in Iraq extended from 12 to 15 months.

The legislation was backed by a bipartisan majority in Congress and was supported by Veterans for America and the Reserve Enlisted Association.

 

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