Press Releases

On Monday August 19, Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) will speak to the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee and the Transportation Club of Tacoma about Homeland Security efforts nationally and the impact on the South Sound region.  

In the morning, before his address, Congressman Smith will meet with representatives from the Ports of Tacoma, Seattle and Olympia, the Coast Guard and U.S. Customs officials to discuss their efforts to secure the region’s Maritime and how Congress can be helpful in meeting the challenges they are currently facing.

After his meeting with the Military Affairs Committee and Transportation Club of Tacoma, Congressman Smith will visit with Advanced Interactive Systems in Tukwila and test their cutting-edge simulator for sky marshal training. 

Members of the media are invited and encouraged to attend both the Tacoma meeting and the AIS tour afterwards.  For further information or to speak with Smith during the day, please contact Katharine Lister at (202) 225-6902.

12:00p.m. – 1:30p.m.  
Speech on Homeland Security to the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee and the Transportation Club of Tacoma

Where: LaQuinta, 1425 E. 27th Street, Tacoma

2:00p.m. – 2:45p.m.   
Tour of Advanced Interactive Systems and testing of sky marshal simulator

Where: 565 Andover Park West, Suite 201, Tukwila

Representative Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) will join the Democratic Leadership Council for a discussion on “Public Policy and the Future of the Biotechnology Industry,” on Tuesday, August 22 in Seattle.

Biotechnology has the potential to develop new treatments and cures for many disabling diseases and improve the quality of life for million of Americans. By providing funding for basic research, ensuring the protection of intellectual property and investing in regulatory agencies such as the Patent and Trademark Office and the Federal Drug Administration, the federal government can encourage advances. The Puget Sound region is well positioned to prosper from developments in the biotechnology industry, but future growth of the industry hinges on a number of tough questions, including:

Will health care coverage provide reimbursements for biotech-based products that are adequate for the industry to survive and prosper? 
Will opponents of biotech succeed in restricting key areas of research and application, such as stem cells, cloning and genetic engineering of plants and humans? 
Will the necessary supports for the industry — venture capital, biomedical research and a constant supply of trained scientists and technicians —be available to meet the industry’s needs? 
Participating in discussion of how state and federal policy affects the biotechnology industry are representatives from Seattle’s biotechnology community, public and private health care and research professionals and federal and state public policy leaders. 

For further information on the conference, visit www.ndol.org or contact Eric Wortman at (202) 546-0007.  To speak with Smith during the day, please contact Katharine Lister at (202) 225-6902.

 What:          “Public Policy and the Future of the Biotechnology Industry”

 When:          Tuesday, August 22, 2002
                      9:30 AM – 1:30 PM 

 Where:        Edgewater Hotel, Olympic Ballroom
                     Seattle, WA

 Who:          Representative Adam Smith, (D-Tacoma)
                    State Representative Aaron Reardon, (D-Everett)
                    Dr. Leroy Hood, president and director, Institute for Systems Biology
                    Robert Atkinson, vice president and director of the New Economy and
                                                  Technology Project,
                    Progressive Policy Institute
                   Jeff Lemieux, senior economist and health policy analyst, Progressive
                                           Policy Institute
                   Bob Nelsen, ARCH Venture Partners
                   Cathryn Campbell, Campbell & Flores LLP
                   Barbara Cosgriff, NASDAQ
                   John Morris, Celsis International
                   Patrick Ronan, Biotechnology Industry Organization

Tomorrow at 8:30am, Congressman Adam Smith (D-09) and Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) will discuss transportation issues at a panel with the Renton Chamber of Commerce. 

Traffic costs everyone valuable time, and is an unhealthy blemish on the business environment of the Puget Sound. Congress' role in alleviating traffic and improving transportation is to support local efforts and provide as much funding as possible to local projects.  Under the leadership of Sen. Murray, the Washington state delegation has been able to provide many urgently needed dollars for state and local priorities but much more needs to be done to relieve the overwhelming congestion and improve the quality of life for citizens.  Tomorrow’s meeting with the Renton Chamber of Commerce will be an important conversation with state and local leaders on how best to improve the roads for all Washingtonians. 

After the Renton meeting, Congressman Adam Smith will attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Third Street project in the City of Auburn. 

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

8:30a.m. – 9:30a.m.     Transportation Meeting with Renton Chamber of Commerce
Where: Renton Chamber of Commerce board room
300 Rainier Ave North, Renton

10:00a.m. – 11:00a.m. Ribbon cutting ceremony for the Third Street project
Where: Sound Transit Parking Garage 
Corner of SR 18 and 'C' Streets, Auburn

Early this morning, the House of Representatives passed legislation to provide Trade Promotion Authority and expand health care and unemployment assistance to workers dislocated by global competition.  For the first time ever, Trade Adjustment Assistance includes a new health care benefit for laid-off workers and doubles funding for job training.  The trade package also extends eligibility for both health care and job training to “downstream” workers - for example, suppliers to factories that have shut down - and workers whose factories have relocated overseas.  The following is a statement by Congressman Adam Smith: 

“There are two statistics related to trade that stand out in my mind.  First, 96 percent of people live someplace other than the United States.  Second, despite comprising only four percent of the world’s population, the United States is still responsible for 20 percent of the world’s consumption.  If we wish to expand and grow our participation in developing global markets, we need to gain access to those markets. 

“What’s more, for the first time ever, this bill puts environment and labor concerns on par with other negotiating objectives.  That is a big step forward from the legislation that was passed in 1997, which prohibited labor and environment from being a part of trade agreements.  

“70 percent of world ranks below us in labor and environmental standards.  Does that mean we’re not going to trade with them, that we’re not going to interact with them?  That we’ll erect a protectionist barrier?  The only way to make improvements in global standards and to secure global stability is to move forward and interact with foreign markets.  Without the ability to negotiate reduced tariff barriers to other countries we cannot move forward.  

“I opposed the original version of trade promotion authority because nothing was done to help American workers.  I’m very pleased that the U.S. Senate successfully added many provisions to improve the bill, most notably the addition of Trade Adjustment Assistance.

“In today's economy, workers need to update their skills constantly.  This bill triples the assistance available to laid-off workers through the Trade Adjustment Assistance program.  For the first time ever, there will be a health care benefit to offset the high cost of health care premiums.  Funding for job training is doubled.  Undoubtedly, this is an extremely solid worker benefit package that will help tens of thousands of laid-off workers take care of their families and update their skills so that they can succeed in the 21st century economy.

“Passage of Trade Promotion Authority is just the first step.  As Congress and the White House work together on a trade agenda that advances our foreign policy goals, strengthens American's economy and provides opportunity to America’s workers, we need to push other countries to improve their labor and environmental standards and help give them the tools to do so.  We need to ensure that future trade agreements don’t put environmental and health regulations at risk.  We need to open overseas markets to American goods and services.  I am committed to working constructively to advance all of these goals in the coming years.”

For more information on Congressman Adam Smith’s position on Trade Promotion Authority and Trade Adjustment Assistance, visit www.house.gov/adamsmith.

Tonight, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation authorizing the creation of the new Department of Homeland Security, effectively strengthening our nation’s response to the war on terrorism.  Congressman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) issued the following statement after the 295-132 vote:

“Today I am proud to join with my colleagues in the House to pass landmark legislation creating a new Department of Homeland Security.  

“While there is no silver bullet in the fight against terrorism, this new department is a step toward reorganizing our government in a manner that reflects the threats in the post-Cold War world.  I intend to monitor the implementation of this new Department closely.  If done correctly and effectively, our nation will be safer.  A coordinated structure for identifying, deterring and responding to any future attacks will go a long way toward the goal of better security.   

“I’m also pleased with the emphasis that we’ve placed on technology as a tool for securing our nation and fighting the war on terrorism.  This bill leverages our national assets - including the National Labs, universities, the private sector and small businesses - to develop and bring to bear many of the technology answers that we need.  I’m committed to continuing my efforts to make sure the government develops and procures the best and most innovative technologies in the world. 

“Working with Congressman Tom Davis (R-Va.), I was able to add an amendment to H.R. 5005 that will significantly strengthen federal cyber-preparedness by requiring all agencies to implement specific, baseline security standards established by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST).

“Recent public opinion surveys indicate that over 70 percent of Americans are concerned about Internet and computer security and 74 percent are concerned about terrorists using the Internet to launch a cyber-attack against our country’s infrastructure.   One survey shows that half of all IT professionals believe that a major attack will be launched against the Federal Government in the next 12 months.  In November of last year, a GAO-based report card on Federal agency computer security that concluded that nearly every agency deserves a failing grade for its computer security preparedness.

“This language is essential to ensuring that there are incentives for America’s technology industries to continue producing the most secure solutions possible, and that Federal Government information security is second to none.

“Despite these successes, however, I was disappointed with the failure of amendments designed to ensure that employees in the new Homeland Security Department have reasonable protections and maintain the right to collectively bargain.  I know that these rights can make a real difference in the lives of many American families and I hope these issues can be worked out in conference committee.”