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U.S. Rep. Adam Smith Applauds Increases for AIDS Relief, Millennium Challenge Account, Urges Greater Commitment on Global Poverty

June 9, 2006

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.

“Fighting poverty and disease in the world is not only a moral imperative, it’s in our interests as a nation,” said Smith.  “This bill takes positive steps to improve America’s leadership in that fight, but we must do more."

Added Smith, “I’m pleased that the bill includes $3.43 billion to combat AIDS, TB, and malaria, an increase of $750 million over the current level.  The scourge of AIDS and other infectious diseases are destabilizing continents and condemning generations to death, and this is a needed step to provide more help.”

“I was pleased to see that funding for the MCA was increased over the current level, but I was disappointed that the House budget allocation for the Foreign Operations subcommittee was reduced so that providing more funding for the MCA and other anti-poverty programs was not possible,” added Smith.

The bill provides $2 billion for the MCA, $248 million more than the current level but $1 billion lower than the President’s request.  The MCA provides assistance to developing countries that meet minimum standards of good governance, economic and political freedom, and investing in their people.

“I was also disappointed that the House rejected an amendment to increase funding for targeted poverty-reduction efforts such as safe water, health, and basic education programs.”  The amendment would have increased funding for the Development Assistance Account $250 million.

The bill also provides $450 million for humanitarian relief in Sudan, where the suffering continues in the Darfur region despite a fragile peace agreement.  “This critical funding is just one component of what must be a greater U.S. commitment to stop the atrocities in Darfur,” said Smith.

Smith also applauded the bill’s creation of a new $522 million account to consolidate existing assistance for trade capacity building.  “This provision will better focus our efforts to help developing countries reap the benefits of international trade,” said Smith.

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith Requests Additional TAA Study from GAO

June 8, 2006

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.  Once a worker or group of workers are certified by the Department of Labor to be eligible for TAA, the benefits would include (1) funding to use towards training programs or an advanced degree, (2) healthcare coverage tax credit, and (3) wage insurance. 

As the GAO request states, “however, as indicated in several recent GAO reports and data reported by the Department of Labor (DOL), the TAA program has failed to live up to its promise, largely as a result of limitations on worker eligibility, inadequate funding and outreach, and unnecessary and burdensome procedural requirements.”

“Overall, we are asking the GAO to look at the effectiveness of the TAA program, including the steps taken by the Department of Labor and state workforce agencies to inform workers and employers about the TAA program,” said Smith. “We also want to look at what are the major reasons for denial of TAA petitions by the Department of Labor.”

The request also addresses the lack of training currently available and asks the GAO if those funding levels require an increase. The Congressmen also seek information regarding how many workers are adversely affected by shortages in training funds and what level of funding would be necessary to adequately meet the training needs of all workers enrolled in TAA.  Many states, including Washington, run out of training funding every year and as a result, many eligible workers are not able to access necessary skills and training programs.

Also, many workers eligible for certain programs under TAA, including the wage insurance program and the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC), do not take advantage of these programs and the request asks the GAO to look into this discrepancy.

In October of last year, Smith introduced the TAA Improvement Act (HR 4156) with over 100 Members of Congress supporting the bill and over 10 labor unions and organizations endorsing the bill. The request asks the GAO to look at some of the key points in this legislation including:

  • What would be the expected increase in petitions and enrollment if TAA eligibility criteria were expanded to cover all service workers?
  • What would be the expected enrollment if the DOL could certify TAA petitions on an industry-wide basis, i.e. certify as eligible for TAA all workers within a domestic industry subject to a trade remedy under U.S.  antidumping, countervailing or safeguard laws, or all workers laid off from an industry otherwise certified as being adversely-impacted by trade?
  • What would be the effect on enrollment in the HCTC if the credit was increased to cover 80% of the cost of health insurance premiums?

“The TAA program is an important component of our commitment to continually improving the ability of our workers to upgrade their skills and compete in the global economy,” said Smith. “I hope that the GAO will look at the serious issues that affect TAA and I will continue to work with my colleagues to pass real TAA reform.”

 

U.S. Rep. Adam Smith Commends Passage of the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2007

June 6, 2006

Today, U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) voted for H.R. 5441, the Homeland Security Appropriations for FY 2007. The bill appropriates $33.1 billion, an increase of five percent from FY 2006, including $19.6 billion for border security and immigration enforcement and $4.2 billion for port and cargo security, a 12% increase over this year.

“While not perfect, I was pleased that this legislation increases funding for vital aspects of homeland security: our first responders and our ports,” said Smith (D-WA). “The $4.2 billion allocated for our ports and cargo security is an increase of $448 million from FY 2006 levels. Our ports are a vital part of our economic infrastructure and it’s critical that we provide the necessary funds to ensure that they receive the equipment and manpower necessary to be safe and efficient. The Port of Tacoma, in my District, as well as the entire Puget Sound region will benefit from these increased funds. As the nation’s sixth largest port by container volume, the Port of Tacoma handled over 2.1 million containers last year and continues to be a major economic engine in the state. It’s critical that we protect this important national asset.”

The bill mandates the development of a strategy to double the amount of cargo currently inspected, screen 100% of cargo through the Automated Targeting System and establish minimum security standards for cargo containers. The bill further requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to double the amount of cargo entering the U.S. screened for radiation.

Earlier this month, Smith helped pass the SAFE Port Act, H.R. 4954, of which he was an original co-sponsor. That legislation will enhance our security, improve the efficiency of trade and provide necessary funding for the critical missions of our Coast Guard, Customs and Border Agents, and others involved in the maritime industry. 

H.R. 5441 also provides $3.2 billion for first responders, including grants to high threat areas, firefighters and emergency management.

“This bill also includes important funds for those on the frontlines each and every day in homeland security: our first responders,” said Smith. “Since September 11th, and including the funds in this bill, $37.4 billion has been provided to first responders. We must ensure that we are providing the necessary funds so that our first responders have the equipment and training to do their vitally important jobs.

As this bill goes to conference, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure increased funding for port security and that our first providers have the funds they need to continue their vigilance and the good work that they perform each and every day.”

U.S. Representative Adam Smith Memorial Day Statement

May 26, 2006

The following is a statement from U.S. Rep. Adam Smith about the upcoming Memorial Day weekend:

“As Americans across the country gather with friends and family to celebrate Memorial Day this weekend, we must all take the time to remember those who have served and continue to serve in the Armed Forces. We must also honor the ultimate sacrifice that thousands of American servicemembers have made over the history of this nation for the freedoms that we enjoy each and every day. Our men and women in uniform are engaged in conflicts around the world and are away from their families. I have been fortunate to travel to Iraq and witness, firsthand, the dedication with which our troops have served.

On Monday, I encourage every citizen to take a moment to honor those who have sacrificed their lives for our nation, to give thanks for the servicemembers currently overseas, to be thankful for the peace that we have within our country and to pray for a more peaceful tomorrow.”

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell and U.S. Rep. Adam Smith Call for Expanded TAA Benefits

May 25, 2006

Today, Senator Maria Cantwell along with U.S. Rep. Adam Smith  sent a letter to the Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao applauding the Department's decision to "allow, for the first time, workers who produce 'intangible products,' like software, to benefit from TAA [Trade Adjustment Assistance]," that "represents an important and long-overdue change in the Department's policy."

However, the letter notes that the decision to extend TAA eligibility to workers who produce software "was made only after several years of litigation and represents just a small step towards ensuring that the TAA program meets the needs of today's diverse workforce."

"This is fundamentally about fairness," said Cantwell. "In today's global market where so much of our economic growth is in the IT sector, we need to make sure that  IT workers have access to the same retraining opportunities when they are displaced as other workers currently do. Every American worker deserves access to additional training and education so they can update their skills and continue to contribute to the growth of our economy."

The letter also notes that legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Baucus and sponsored by Cantwell (S. 1309) and introduced in the House by Smith and Rangel (H.R. 4156) to extend TAA benefits to all service sector workers adversely impacted by foreign competition, "including information technology (IT) workers, engineers, customer services and call center employees."

"Extending TAA benefits to all service workers must be a priority," said Smith. "Hard-working Americans will be better able to compete in the global marketplace if we make a real investment in education and retraining opportunities."

The letter also urges support for efforts to broaden the eligibility criteria for TAA to include all service workers.

"It is time for the U.S. Government to recognize that the global economy is changing," said Marcus Courtney, President of the Washington Alliance of Technology Workers, a local chapter of the Communications Workers of America. "Today service sector workers, like their manufacturing counterparts, need TAA assistance to retrain themselves to meet the changing demands of the labor market. Congress should use the new decision by the Department of Labor as the guide post that TAA program does need to include more workers and pass TAA reform legislation this year" 

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