Press Releases

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) today on Fox News Channel called for a delay to some aspects of the recent tax cut proposed by President George W. Bush to pay for the $87 billion in additional funds for spending in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I absolutely support spending whatever it takes to be successful.  I also think it would be nice to be able to pay for this instead of just putting it on a credit card,” Smith said on the Fox News Channel. “We should delay some aspects of the tax cut, particularly those going to the highest income earners in this country.”

“Repealing the top tax rate cut would allow us to actually pay for these operations,” Smith said.  “The highest income earners would still get a tax cut, just a smaller one.  Last week, President Bush repeated his call that Congress make the tax cuts permanent, costing the U.S. Treasury $1.1 trillion through 2013.”

“Why isn’t the President willing to sacrifice some of his priorities – like the trillions of dollars in tax cuts primarily aimed at the wealthy that haven’t done anything to create jobs and improve the economy here at home?  This effort requires a sacrifice, but there is no sacrifice involved in simply putting this on a credit card where the bill must be paid by future generations of Americans.”

 

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) is pleased to announce today two recent law enforcement grants for Pierce County.  The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) announced a grant to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department of $375,000 to cover the salary and benefits of new school resource officers assigned to protect schools.  COPS also provides school safety training for the officers and an administrator from the school where the officers will be assigned. 

“This grant is good news for the citizens of Pierce County,” Smith said. “By incorporating instruction on terrorism prevention and emergency response, this grant underscores the critical role of schools in community preparedness and disaster response.”

 In addition to the COPS In Schools funding, $300,000 was granted to the City of Fife by the COPS Universal Hiring Program which will help law enforcement agencies pay the salary and benefits of additional officers who will perform community policing and homeland security activities.  The program provides up to 75 percent of the total cost of salary and benefits of each new officer for three years, up to a maximum of $75,000 per officer. 

“This funding helps make Pierce County a safer place for our citizens,” Smith said. “This grant will aid local law enforcement agencies in expanding their ranks and will act as a catalyst for further innovations in community policing.”

Today Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash) announced that Lars Anderson will be taking over from Katharine Lister as Communication Director beginning in September.

Several years ago, Anderson served as McChord’s public information officer and as a member of Smith’s committee to select candidates for the military academies.  Since leaving McChord, he has served as the Chief of Media Relations for the Secretary of the Air Force, a NATO spokesperson in Sarajevo, and currently is working as a Senior Account Executive at Fleishman Hillard.  Anderson is from Lacey, WA.  He graduated from the Air Force Academy.

Lister is leaving Smith’s office to serve as the Communications Director for Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll of Pennsylvania.  Her last day will be August 28, 2003.

Please note that after the 28th all press calls through September 4 should be directed to Alixandria Wade, Chief of Staff, at (202) 225-8901 or (202) 225-6901 (cell).

 

Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) will spend the day with seniors and members of the medical community to discuss his bill to restore equity to the nation’s Medicare reimbursement rates and current issues in Medicare policy on Tuesday, August 19th

Smith has introduced legislation this year to address the inequities of our nation’s Medicare reimbursement rates with H.R. 2904 the “MediFAIR Act of 2003” and to deliver affordable, universal prescription drug coverage for all seniors in H.R.1568, “the Medicare Rx Now Act of 2003.”  Smith will discuss these bills, as well as competing prescription drug bills recently passed by the House and Senate at the forum.

Smith has said recently that he “strongly believe(s) that we need a long-term solution to our Medicare problem.  We have to face the reality of our two big health care problems: health care inflation is rising quickly, and, as the baby boomers retire, we’ll have an enormous influx of seniors into the program.  We need fundamental reform that focuses on healthy outcomes, gives seniors health care options, provides coverage for prescription drugs, and ensures the program is viable for future generations.”

Members of the media are invited and encouraged to attend these meetings.  For further information or to speak with Smith during the day, please contact Katharine Lister at (202) 226-8454.

8:00am - 8:30am Congressman Adam Smith visits with staff from the Renal Care Group NW/Lacey Kidney Center to discuss current issues in the health profession and concerns about Medicare reimbursement rates.

Where: Renal Care Group NW/Lacey Kidney Center
719 Sleater Kinney Road, Lacey

9:30am - 10:30am Congressman Adam Smith will tour St. Francis Hospital and hold a conversation over breakfast with managers of the facility.

Where: St. Francis Hospital
34515 9th Ave. S., Federal Way

12:00pm - 1:00pm Address to the Tacoma chapter of National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE).

Where: Tacoma AMVETS Hall
5717 South Tyler Street, Tacoma

1:30pm - 2:30pm Congressman Adam Smith will convene the quarterly meeting of his Senior Advisory Board to discuss their concerns about current legislation in Congress, the state of health care in Washington and what steps should be taken to ensure that seniors are treated fairly and with respect.

Where: Auburn Senior Center
808 9th Street Southeast, Auburn
 

This Friday, August 8, 2003, Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) will don a uniform and ride along with a United Parcel Service (UPS) driver, delivering packages to local businesses.  Smith will first arrive at the UPS Tukwila Facility where he will talk to UPS drivers, District Manager Tom Campbell, Division Manager Dick Adams, and Director of Human Resources Jeff Wilson.  He will leave the Tukwila facility at 8:30a.m. and accompany a driver in making deliveries until 9:30 a.m. 

This won’t be the first time Smith has worn the UPS uniform: Smith worked his way through college loading trucks for UPS.

Congressman Smith will make the following stops as part of the ride-along:

Electrical Workers Apprenticeship Program
550 SW 7th Street, Renton
Contact: Bill Bowser, Director, 206-255-1422

Boeing
737 Hanger, Gate K-9, Renton
Contact: Shaunta Hyde, 206-856-6444

Renton City Hall
1055 S. Grady Way
Contact: Alex Pietsch, Economic Development Director, 425-430-6592

WHAT:           UPS Driver Ride Along

WHEN:           Friday, August 8, 2003

7:45a.m. – 9:30a.m.

WHERE:        UPS Tukwila Facility

550 Andover Park West, Tukwila

CONTACT:    For further information please contact Linda Danforth, District Director for Congressman Adam Smith at 253-593-6600 or on her cell phone at 253-988-6858.